Florida police are warning people to stop snapping photos of a lone black bear spotted in Walton County, as they say he is “depressed” and showing signs of aggression.
The bear was seen moping around the area of Highway 98 near Santa Rosa Beach, sitting near a telegraph pole and watching the world pass him by.
On July 18, there were numerous sightings of the bear close to the roadside looking dejected. But the Walton County Sheriff’s office posted a social media warning that although the bear may look cuddly at first glance, snapping a selfie could have serious consequences.
After sharing a photo of the bear taken from a parked up car, they wrote on X: “Famous last words, “If not friend, why friend shaped?” Because this black bear is stressed depressed lemon zest.
“PLEASE DO NOT APPROACH black bears at any time. Especially those that are showing aggression like this big fella.”
After looking at the photos posted by the Sheriff’s office, social media users agreed that the bear looked very sad. “Poor guy I can see how deceptive the level of danger is…he just looks like he needs a hug, or a big [pot of honey],” one person wrote on Facebook.
Meanwhile, other social media users were more savvy about the potential danger. One X user commented: “Important for people to understand they are NOT DOGS and can run 30mph!”
Another user wrote, “I really hope the bear is moved to a safe place.”
The post ended by reminding people that anyone who spots a bear in Walton County should call the Sheriff’s non-emergency line or send an X message to @MyFWC to reachthe Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission responded to the sighting, but the bear had returned to the woods by the time they arrived.
They released a statement to The Guardian saying; “It may have just been overheated and was resting before moving on.”
“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,” the spokesperson said, pointing to the advice website bearwise.org.
“Crowding around any bear is never recommended, as bears can become defensive when threatened. Always give bears as much space as possible.”
It is not the first time that snapping selfies with bears has caused danger. Earlier this year, a Scottish woman was mauled by a bear when she attempted to take photos in Romania.
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