Bears caught on camera walking around Mount Dora apartment complex
MOUNT DORA, Fla. - One woman's food delivery order turned into an all-out wildlife spectacle when five bears appeared before her eyes. Tiffani Donnelly spoke exclusively with FOX 35's Kelsie Cairns.
She says she saw the bears as she completed an order Saturday night at Elevate 155 apartments.
"As I’m walking, I see out the corner of my eye the third bear on the side of the dumpster," Donnelly said.
So she says she pulled out her iPhone to take a video.
"I started recording, and then the little bear took off," she said.
She spotted the bears near the mailboxes and dumpster, which are in a shared space within the complex.
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At first, she thought it was only three bears, but as she made her way into the complex that night, she saw two more, she said.
"It’s breeding season; our bear population is on the move," said Mount Dora Police Chief Michael Gibson.
He says bear reports are common this time of year.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) says breeding season falls between June and August. The agency estimates that 4,050 Black Bears are living in Florida right now.
When it comes to calls for service related to bears, Chief Gibson said, "FWC is responsible for the black bear population. If they are not attacking, [and] prowling just around, they’re probably not going to be an emergency response."
However, Gibson says to call 911 if you see a bear and feel your life is in danger.
FWC says you can also give them a call if you have a bear issue in your neighborhood.
