On a beautiful day in southwest Florida a group of nature-lovers gathers around a bear trap and a stuffed bear cub to learn about black bear ecology and management. Kathleen Smith, Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission biologist, enlists someone in the group to enter the trap to demonstrate how it works and then explains how it is used to trap “nuisance bears”. The trap is a round metal culvert tube with bait (often donuts) tied inside one end and a trap door on the other. When the bait is pulled, the door slams shut. After the demonstration, she leads the group on a stroll through the CREW Marsh Trails off Corkscrew Road looking for bear sign and explaining the natural history of Florida black bears. As the walk ends the group is ready to explore more on their own in hopes of catching a glimpse of a rare Florida black bear. full story>>
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