MIAMI.- A law that allows Floridians living in rural areas to defend themselves against grizzly bears received the approval of both chambers of the state Congress and hopes to be signed into law or vetoed by Governor DeSantis before coming into effect on July 1 .
Bill HB-87, approved by a large majority in both Houses and known as the “Self-Defense Act,” will not sanction the use of lethal force against these plantigrades if the person acts in self-defense.
The new law would allow a bear to be removed if the action prevents an imminent threat of death or serious bodily injury to oneself, a pet, or substantial damage to a home.
To obtain the benefits of this rule, the person must not intentionally or recklessly place themselves in the situation that triggers the use of deadly force. The intention of this section is to prevent spontaneous bear hunters from invading the habitat of these large mammals to hunt them.
A person who is forced to use deadly force against a bear will not be penalized as long as he or she notifies the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) within 24 hours.
The rule also warns that no one, under any circumstances, may take possession of the animal’s body, sell it, or dispose of any of its parts. Only FWC can handle the remains of the euthanized bear.
The bear population in Florida has increased in recent years. FWC estimates that there are about 4,000 specimens, many of which come to rural communities to eat from garbage.
According to Democratic Representative Katherine Waldron, a detractor of the initiative, “the legal project is based on fear, not facts. “It was created for people looking for any excuse to hunt and kill a bear.”
The official FWC website explains that “urban expansion is invading traditionally remote areas, driving people into the bears’ prime habitat. As a result, bears and people are encountering each other more than ever.”
It also advises how to scare away these animals with noise and how to prevent them from approaching homes in search of food. “It is illegal to feed bears or place trash that attracts bears.”
The black bear is considered the largest land mammal in Florida, hunting it is illegal.
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