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Injured black bear continues to roam a Naples neighborhood

Posted at 10:33 PM, Dec 09, 2019
and last updated 2019-12-09 22:35:18-05

NAPLES, Fla. — A Naples neighborhood is asking wildlife officials to help remove and treat a black bear that's been roaming the area for almost a month.

The neighborhood is just off I-75 and Radio Road.

For the past three weeks, the injured black bear has been spotted limping past people's front doors through Ring surveillance video — the latest sighting happened early Monday morning.

Neighbors say even though the bear has not hurt anyone, they fear he could become aggressive since he is injured.

Bonnie Akim, who has lived in the neighborhood for fourteen years, says bear sightings are not frequent in the area, but this bear has been scavenging through her trash almost nightly.

Akim says the garbage is not her biggest concern.

"There are children out in the street in the morning; it's still dark outside. As I said, he was out at 5 in the morning, so these kids are out waiting at the bus stop, and I'm afraid they'll be a confrontation," said Akim.

Grizzly Ranch and Black Bear Rescue in Naples has offered to help remove the bear but need Fish and Wildlife Conservation to permit them to do so.

FWC says they don't have plans to remove the bear right now but are monitoring the situation.