Black bear in Florida goes Halloween trick-or-treating through neighborhood

A family trick-or-treating in Central Florida on Halloween this week found something unexpected – a wild black bear munching on some candy or pumpkins in front of a decorated house.

Pari Limbachia and her family were trick-or-treating in a neighborhood in Lake Mary, Florida, when they spotted a black bear in someone's yard. The video shows the bear standing on its hind legs over a table and eating whatever was on it – likely some pumpkins or leftover candy.

The bear occasionally looks around, but was unphased by the people standing mere feet from him.

Hilarious, kids off-camera wonder if the bear is eating the candy with the wrappers still on before sharing their own experience apparently eating a Starburst candy with the wrapper on. Watch the video in the player above.

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Way up in the Florida Panhandle, Zak Lee captured a family of bears walking across his front porch. One of them spots the eye candy and decides to take a look, a few sniffs, and eventually, a single piece of candy.

In a Facebook post, Lee said he was a very polite trick-or-treater. Most importantly though, it's not clear what candy Lee was passing out in his dish.

In all seriousness, there are more than 4,000 bears throughout Florida, according to the FWC's last official count in 2015 (the next is scheduled for 2025). Bears are part of everyday life in Florida, though it's important to be safe around them.

According to the FWC, people are encouraged to avoid interaction with bears, while also eliminating the food sources that attract bears to homes and neighborhoods, such as garbage, food, pet food, cat litter, and bird seed. 

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Bears are often in search of food and if they do not find it, they will move along. However, if they continue to find food and interact with people, they become less afraid, according to the FWC, whic isn't good for the bears or people.

In the fall/winter, bears are exploring more often then the summer in search of food to store calories ahead of the winter months. Bears are then active again in the spring while raising their cubs and exploring their home ranges. 

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