FL man feeds bear, gets scratched up
Posted: Fri Dec 11, 2009 8:19 pm
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/loc ... 8827.story
Black bear scratches Longwood man
Animal encounter leaves victim with cuts to one of his eyes and nose.
Mike Orlando, assistant bear program coordinator with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, baits a bear trap where Ernest Stamm, 49, was knocked to the ground outside his home in The Springs subdivision and suffered lacerations to his eye and nose. (RED HUBER, ORLANDO SENTINEL / December 11, 2009)
By Anthony Colarossi, Orlando Sentinel
4:19 p.m. EST, December 11, 2009
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A Longwood man faces misdemeanor charges of feeding a bear after one of the animals struck him in the face Thursday night.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is investigating the case.
"The suspect is a black bear,'' said spokeswoman Joy Hill late Thursday.
Ernest Stamm, 49, was knocked to the ground outside his home in The Springs subdivision and suffered lacerations to his eye and nose.
He told emergency responders that he had been struck by an animal – he said he didn't know what kind – when he opened his door.
The bear was described as medium-sized at about 200 pounds. Officials, who do not describe the encounter as an attack because they think the bear didn't set out to hurt the man, say black bears are frequently seen in this community because it is connected to their natural habitat.
But their investigation is showing that the animals are particularly attracted to Stamm's property.
"The bottom line is the bears are very familiar with this yard," said Hill.
Officials said they found more bear prints on Stamm's property – and food containers strewn about the yard.
"It possibly looked like chicken containers, like rotisserie chicken," said wildlife Lt. Ben Eason.
It is illegal to feed bears. Stamm faces a second-degree misdemeanor charge. Late Friday afternoon, he had not spoken with wildlife officials.
When rescue crews arrived at his home Thursday night, they took him to Florida Hospital Altamonte, from which he has since been released.
No one answered the phone at Stamm's home Friday afternoon.
Wildlife officials have set a trap for the bear. It will be baited later and if they capture the bear, it will be euthanized.
This is the third such encounter in the general area in the last few months. Hill and other officials emphasized that people avoid doing things that will attract bears, such as leaving out garbage or pet food in areas surrounding their regular habitat.
She said The Springs is definitely one of those communities.
"The Springs is Bear World," Hill said. "Those people are truly living with the bears."
The Springs Community Association said early Friday afternoon that it would not comment on the incident.
Sentinel staff writer Anika Myers Palm contributed to this report
Black bear scratches Longwood man
Animal encounter leaves victim with cuts to one of his eyes and nose.
Mike Orlando, assistant bear program coordinator with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, baits a bear trap where Ernest Stamm, 49, was knocked to the ground outside his home in The Springs subdivision and suffered lacerations to his eye and nose. (RED HUBER, ORLANDO SENTINEL / December 11, 2009)
By Anthony Colarossi, Orlando Sentinel
4:19 p.m. EST, December 11, 2009
E-mailPrint
Share
Text Size
A Longwood man faces misdemeanor charges of feeding a bear after one of the animals struck him in the face Thursday night.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is investigating the case.
"The suspect is a black bear,'' said spokeswoman Joy Hill late Thursday.
Ernest Stamm, 49, was knocked to the ground outside his home in The Springs subdivision and suffered lacerations to his eye and nose.
He told emergency responders that he had been struck by an animal – he said he didn't know what kind – when he opened his door.
The bear was described as medium-sized at about 200 pounds. Officials, who do not describe the encounter as an attack because they think the bear didn't set out to hurt the man, say black bears are frequently seen in this community because it is connected to their natural habitat.
But their investigation is showing that the animals are particularly attracted to Stamm's property.
"The bottom line is the bears are very familiar with this yard," said Hill.
Officials said they found more bear prints on Stamm's property – and food containers strewn about the yard.
"It possibly looked like chicken containers, like rotisserie chicken," said wildlife Lt. Ben Eason.
It is illegal to feed bears. Stamm faces a second-degree misdemeanor charge. Late Friday afternoon, he had not spoken with wildlife officials.
When rescue crews arrived at his home Thursday night, they took him to Florida Hospital Altamonte, from which he has since been released.
No one answered the phone at Stamm's home Friday afternoon.
Wildlife officials have set a trap for the bear. It will be baited later and if they capture the bear, it will be euthanized.
This is the third such encounter in the general area in the last few months. Hill and other officials emphasized that people avoid doing things that will attract bears, such as leaving out garbage or pet food in areas surrounding their regular habitat.
She said The Springs is definitely one of those communities.
"The Springs is Bear World," Hill said. "Those people are truly living with the bears."
The Springs Community Association said early Friday afternoon that it would not comment on the incident.
Sentinel staff writer Anika Myers Palm contributed to this report