The nuisance black bear that ravaged garbage cans and a birthday cake inside a Trail Ridge-area home in Macclenny earlier this month was shot and killed by state wildlife officers October 19.

After tracking the black bear for about two weeks, biologists with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission [FWC] pinpointed its location using telemetry equipment near US 90, states an October 20 report from the state agency.

But due to thick underbrush in the area, it was decided that dogs would be used to scare the bear up and into a tree, making it an easy target for a tranquilizer dart, said Karen Parker, an FWC spokesperson.

Sheriff’s deputies stopped traffic on US 90 as a precaution while wildlife officers were tracking the animal.

“We were hopeful that the bear would climb a tree to evade the dogs, making it easy and safe to tranquilize the animal, but that did not happen,” said Ms. Parker. “Instead, the bear became aggressive. To wait for the drugs to take effect would have taken much too long. The FWC officer with the group of biologists and dog handlers tracking the bear authorized one of the handlers to shoot the bear. The animal was killed by a single shot to the head.”

The decision to euthanize the bear was made once it broke into the home in Macclenny.

“This was a public-safety issue. The decision to euthanize an animal is never taken lightly at the FWC,” Ms. Parker said.

The animal was part of a group of black bears being studied by the FWC and Camp Blanding’s Environmental Management division.

The troublesome bear, designated R125, was relocated from Middleburg to Camp Blanding several months ago.

Since then, biologists had been tracking it and gathering data on its habits, behavior and movement. The purpose of the study is to better measure and predict the consequences of black bear interactions with humans and their habitats.

The state offers the following advice to avoid such interactions:

• Don’t leave out things that will attract bears. If it will attract a raccoon, it will attract a bear. Don’t leave a continuous supply of pet food outside. Don’t store pet food in a way or place that bears can get to it.

• Keep trash receptacles indoors or inside a garage with the door closed. Only put trash out on the day it’s to be collected. Using bear-proof trash receptacles is also effective.

• Clean BBQ grills after use and store indoors until needed. A dirty BBQ grill is irresistible for a bear.

• Do not, in any circumstances, feed bears on purpose.

• Don’t leave out things that will attract bears. If it will attract a raccoon, it will attract a bear. Don’t leave a continuous supply of pet food outside. Don’t store pet food in a way or place that bears can get to it.

• Keep trash receptacles indoors or inside a garage with the door closed. Only put trash out on the day it’s to be collected. Using bear-proof trash receptacles is also effective.

• Clean BBQ grills after use and store indoors until needed. A dirty BBQ grill is irresistible for a bear.

• Do not, in any circumstances, feed bears on purpose.