A Florida black bear rummages in a trash can in the Ocala National Forest.

(National Park Service)

At a Glance

The Juniper Prairie Wilderness will remain closed until March 13.Bears have been attracted to improperly stored food. A ranger says the bears will rip into a tent, whether someone is in it or not.

Wildlife officials have closed a wilderness area in Florida's Ocala National Forest because of "increased bear activity."

The Juniper Prairie Wilderness "for the protection of public safety and health," a news release from the Forest Service says.

“We estimate that more than 1,000 bears live on the Ocala National Forest,” said District Ranger Carl Bauer. “However, some people don’t practice Leave No Trace or adhere to wilderness ethics when they visit Juniper Prairie. If they leave food or other attractants at their campsites, bears learn that tents mean food. A habituated bear will rip into tents regardless of people or food being present. This type of activity endangers all our visitors.”

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Only people with a permit or law enforcement and firefighting officials will be allowed into the area.

The 14,283-acre Juniper Prairie Wilderness runs along State Road 40 in the Ocala National Forest, about 25 miles east of Ocala, Florida.

The Forest Service requires proper storage and disposal for food, garbage and other bear attractants in national forests. The Food Storage Restriction Order says these items must be stored in approved bear-resistant containers, hard-topped vehicles or in “food hangs” when not in use.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission says about 4,000 black bears live in Florida. They were listed as a threatened species in 1974 as their habitat was replaced by development.

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They were removed from the state threatened species list in 2012. As Florida has grown, encounters between bears and humans have increased greatly.

After a series of bear maulings, the commission , the Tampa Bay Times reported. A public outcry led the commission to vote against allowing hunts in 2016 and 2017. The commission will revisit the issue this year.