Katrina Shadix–founder and executive director of Bear Warriors United (BWU), whose stated mission is to preserve and protect bears, and all of Florida’s natural resources and wildlife—recalls, as a second-generation Floridian, the formative joys of growing up in rural Seminole County.
Shadix explains how that experience forged a profound connection with Florida wildlife—very much including Florida Black Bears—that propels her advocacy while remaining a resident of Seminole County, noting she’s downhearted by the rampant development in that area.
She discusses the experiences that served as catalysts for inspiring her to protect Florida Black Bears (which, she later notes, is a subspecies of the Black Bear): Hearing now-former Seminole County Commissioner John Horan declare at a meeting that there were “too many bears.”
Shadix also recounts a pivotal period in 2015, early in the last bear hunt, when back surgery had confined her to bed. She was scrolling through Facebook, horrified to see posts about the hunt–called a friend to drive her to witness the ursine carnage; she shares a scene in which she encountered a female bear (pointing out those killed in the slaughter were 60% female), promising the bear she would never allow another hunt to happen.
Clearly, Shadix is doing her level best to make good on that promise, educating gatherings about the critical numbers–once, the Florida Black Bear population was 11,000; it’s now 4000…20% die annually, owing to habitat change and being hit by vehicles.
And she underscored the importance of voicing opposition to the hunt through comments emailed to BearComments@MyFWC.com (additionally, there was a commenting portal available on the FWC website, but it closed on May 16) or, in person, at the FWC meeting on May 21 in Ocala, starting at 8:30 a.m. College of Central Florida, The Ewers Century Center, Klein Conference Center, Building 40, 3001 S.W. College Rd. Ocala, FL 34474
Shadix said plenty more, including offering some observations about FWC commissioners, described her recent major victory on behalf of manatees, winning its federal lawsuit against the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP), declaring the FDEP violated the Endangered Species Act–and tipping her hand that Bear Warriors United plans to file a lawsuit against the FWC.
Listen Below:
5 Responses to “Talking Animals: Founder of Bear Warriors United discusses the proposed bear hunt and how Floridians can offer their comments on it”
Leave a Reply
I WAS HOPING SOMEONE WOULD TAKE FWC TO COURT BECAUSE MANY OF US SIGNED THE PETITIONS AND SURVEY OPPOSED TO THE HUNT. I BELIEVE IT WAS 81 % OPPOSED. SO WE THE PEOPLE OUT VOTED THE HUNT AND HOW IS IT THAT FWC CAN OVER RIDE US. WE THE PEOPLE TAX PAYERS PAY THEIR SALARY.AND WE DO NOT WANT THIS KILLING ANY MORE. RATHER RELOCATED PUT LAND ASIDE FOR BEARS TO LIVE FREELY WITHOUT HUMAN INTERFERENCE . I MIGHT EVEN SUGGEST INDIGENOUS PEOPLE TO BE HIRED TO WORK FWC AND TAKE OVER AND FIRE THE BLOODTHIRSTY WORKERS THAT VOTED FOR THIS KILL OF OUR BEARS .I PRAY YOU TAKE THEM TO COURT AND WIN .THANK YOU.L.LUCK FT. MYERS FLA 30 YRS ..
Thank you yes please take FWC to court WE OPPOSE THE BLACKBEAR HUNT 81% ARE AGAINST killing .
The clown who said there were too many bears is incorrect, There are too many people. Start there first
I think it is a terrible thing to let the humt happen one person over all these years get killed by a bear and now they want to kill all our bears. To lure the bears with food so the machos can shot them down. That is sick.
I find it so hypocritical to only oppose hunting the cute an fuzees. There has never been a protest against hunting alligators!!! Bears re no longer relocated when trapped. They are euthanized. We have already had a fatality from a bear this year. Hunting helps keep the population of bears healthy so all of us can enjoy having them around. Those that are against the bear hunt virtually provide no funds for bear preservation. They don’t purchase manage area permits nor do they contribute to the Pitman Robertson act. Hunters are the ones that fund wildlife preservation not activist.