How many times have black bears attacked people in Florida? Here’s the count

Legislation is making its way through the Florida Legislature, which seeks to strengthen residents’ rights to self-defense during bear attacks.

The bill — HB 87 — would prevent such people from being held criminally liable if they feel their life is in jeopardy during an attack.

According to the text, there would be exceptions in cases where people knowingly attracted or baited a bear using food so that the new rules wouldn’t be abused.

The issue gained traction last year after Franklin County Sheriff A.J. Smith complained about several bear encounters in the area.

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But how many times have black bears actually attacked people in the state?

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission lists reported “incidents of physical contact” between a black bear and a human stemming back to 2006.

Most recently was an incident in Volusia County involving a dog, though no details were provided on whether the victim suffered any injuries during the encounter.

Since the list began, 2022 was the year with the greatest number of reports across the state, with seven incidents taking place. In all, the FWC lists 39 incidents since 2006.

The full list is as follows:

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