Florida wildlife officials have approved the killing of 320 black bears next month during the state's first bear hunting season in more than 20 years.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission voted 3-2 for a harvest plan recommended by staff during a meeting Wednesday in Fort Lauderdale.
Wildlife officials estimate the state's bear population at about 3,000, but the animals are increasingly coming into residential areas in search of food. The hunt is part of the management strategy to reduce the bear population, along with getting residents to secure their trash.
A crowd of roughly 200 gathered at Wednesday's Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission meeting to discuss the controversial hunt that has garnered significant media attach.
Earlier in the day, the commission also discussed a new strategy for Florida's endangered but growing panther population, saying the current plan was untenable.
