Florida's black bears were once on the brink of extinction. Through decades of effort, their numbers have slowly grown, but now, state officials have voted to allow a brutal hunting season for the first time in a decade. This December, 187 bears could be killed in just 23 days. Hunters will be allowed to use bait traps, bows and arrows, and, starting in 2027, packs of dogs to chase down and kill bears. These aren't conservation measures,
Sign the petition to demand the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission reverse this decision and stop this bear hunt!
Wildlife experts warn that this hunt will do more harm than good. The state is using population estimates instead of a complete census, and some bear populations are still struggling to recover.
We've already seen the horror this brings: in 2015, a similar hunt was halted after only 48 hours when 300 bears were slaughtered, including pregnant mothers and cubs.
Florida's bears are facing enough threats from habitat loss, vehicle strikes, and human expansion. Killing them for sport will undo decades of conservation progress. We should be learning to coexist with these animals – not destroying them.
Sign the petition to demand Florida officials cancel this cruel hunt and protect black bears for future generations.
