Tag: Bears

We Could Bearly Stand It!

We Could Bearly Stand It!

Joan and I have annual passes for the Brevard Zoo. We really like being supporters and go when we can.

We never fail to stop by and see their resident Black Bear, Cheyenne. An orphaned cub, she was adopted at about four months as she had to be removed by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission; people had been feeding her and she had lost her fear of humans.

That is, indeed, Cheyenne in the banner photo. Here’s one more pose, taken as she began to climb the tree in her enclosure. She easily made it up to about four feet from the top.

Back to my main point, we get quite a bit of mail from the zoo, and I’ve always loved bears. So in response to one mailing a couple of months ago, I took the plunge and “adopted” Cheyenne.

Of course, I’m very well aware that probably a couple of hundred other Zoo lovers got out their checkbooks and “adopted” her as well.

I couldn’t resist making a joke out of the whole situation. I mentioned to one of the zoo volunteers who was with us at the exhibit that I had “adopted” her. And then I just let it lay there for a moment…

Then I looked at her with a completely straight face and asked “now do I have to get her braces and show up at all her soccer games?”

Yeah, she laughed pretty damn hard! 

“Bulldog Ben” Basile

© 2020 Ben Lawrence Basile

Photo credits Ben Lawrence Basile

Hungry Bears Are Everywhere!

It’s the time of the year when bears are all over in search of food.

Here in Florida, black bears are quite common and it’s not at all unusual for us to find them foraging for food in areas where they’re not seen much at other times of the year.

This can pose a real problem.

For the bears, mostly.

For this reason, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission released their annual reminder about helping to keep bears safe while they’re out and about, looking for something to eat.

Their primary mission, so to speak, at this time of the year is to fatten up with Fall right around the corner and Winter hibernation not far behind.

To read the release and get some good tips on helping to keep bears safe at this time of the year, just follow this link.

“Bulldog Ben” Basile

© 2019 Ben Lawrence Basile

Co-existing with Wildlife

If you’re wondering how to co-exist with wildlife in a humane way, getting some tips from professionals would most certainly be a good thing.

The information found on this site could be very helpful. Especially if you live in a rural area or even if you have more than a few trees around your home in a mostly suburban location.

There are so many helpful tips on the site for small-ish critters, up to and including deer.

In the part of Florida where I live, bears love to raid trash cans and climb trees in sometimes large and up-scale neighborhoods. It’s become a pretty common thing.

Many people believe that this situation is one reason why the State of Florida green-lighted bear hunting again back in 2015. The hunting resumed the following year.

I am against bear hunting under any conditions but the article avaliable from the above link shows that the new regulations here in Florida are very seriously flawed even if you were in favor of the resumption.

If people who live near bear habitats were more bear-savvy, this unfortunate situation could possibly be improved. For tips on co-existing with bears specifically, follow this link.

Bulldog Ben Basile

 

© 2019 Ben Lawrence Basile

Teen camper wakes up… and discovers his head is inside bear’s mouth – The Washington Post

 

Your friend and self-appointed camp counselor Bulldog Ben reminds you to keep food away from your site and at least 15′ off the ground. Most importantly: never, never allow a bear to place his jaws around your head while sleeping! No, I mean it! Wow. This kid is okay. The details are below, just click on the blue link:

The bear dragged the teen 10 feet as other counselors and campers tried to fight the animal off.

Source: Teen camper wakes up and discovers his head is inside bear’s mouth – The Washington Post