Black bear spotted hanging out in tree near Florida day care

ORLANDO, Fla. - Orange County deputies were monitoring a black bear on Tuesday, spotted in a tree near the Expanding Minds Academy earlier in the day.  The Orlando-area daycare is located off of John Young Parkway in Orange County.

The animal was first spotted in the area around 6 a.m.  The staff at the preschool next to where the bear was taking a nap in the tree were shocked when they saw it. The young kids wanted to take a look at the bear.

"The kids are like, 'I want to see! I want to see!'" said Candace Cannon, the Assistant Director at Expanding Minds Academy. "I had them look out the window, so they could see he was in the tree."

Deputies with the Orange County Sheriff's Office were keeping a close eye on the bear until Florida Fish and Wildlife (FWC) officials arrived. 

There have been recent sightings of other young bears at Lake Eola and in Orlando's College Park neighborhood. Many in the area Tuesday were shocked to see a black bear in another busy area of the county.

"I’ve never seen a bear in Orange County in person other than today," said Carson Klopf who owns a business in the plaza. "Crazy morning, but really cool to see the black bear. He was perched perfectly on the tree."

After FWC arrived on the scene, the bear eventually descended the tree and ran off into the woods on his own. 

According to the FWC, during this time of year, bears are more active. Juvenile bears are starting to leave their mother’s home range and may be seen in unexpected areas as they try to find a new home.

"When he came out of the tree this morning he ran to the woods, which was right near the train tracks," said Michael Orlando with Florida Fish and Wildlife. "What we have noticed over the years is that we find bears leave Wekiva and follow train tracks and power line cords because there's not a lot of people, and it's a straight line."

MORE BEAR HEADLINES:

• Shocking video of black bear swimming at Florida beach baffles sunbathers
• VIDEO: Bear takes up residence in Lake Eola Park

Typically, these bears will move away on their own. If you see a bear, give it space, don’t try to approach it, and never feed it.

If you ever feel threatened by a bear; observe a sick, injured, dead or orphaned bear; or need to report someone who is either harming bears or intentionally feeding them, you're asked to contact the FWC’s Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-FWCC (3922).