Authorities in Florida are urging people to stop taking selfies with a "depressed bear" spotted on a roadside. According to social media posts from the Walton County Sheriff's Office, the black bear has attracted a lot of unwanted attention after making himself at home on the side of Highway 98 in Santa Rosa Beach earlier this week. The office described the bear as ''stressed, depressed, lemon zest.''
''Walton County Sheriff's Office deputies are monitoring a bear on the north side of Highway 98 near County Road 83 in Santa Rosa Beach. Onlookers were trying to take selfies with the bear and he's not in the mood for pictures. The bear has shown signs of severe stress,'' the post said.
''PLEASE DO NOT APPROACH black bears at any time. Especially those that are showing aggression like this big fella,'' the post added.
See the post here:
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission were called to the scene after the sheriff's office reported ''crowds of onlookers stopping to take photos of the bear.'' By the time the FWC arrived, the bear had already left the area and wandered into the woods.
Experts concluded that the bear did not appear to be injured based on photos taken by onlookers. ''It may have just been overheated and was resting before moving on,'' the FWC said in a statement.
Black bears are frequently seen in various parts of Florida, particularly during the spring and summer months.
''Typically, bears will move along on their own. If you see a bear, give it space, don't try to approach it, and never feed it. Crowding around any bear is never recommended, as bears can become defensive when threatened. Always give bears as much space as possible,” the spokesperson advised.
An estimated 4,050 black bears are living in the wild in Florida, according to FWC figures. In Florida, it's illegal to intentionally feed bears or leave food or garbage out to attract them.
