NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. (AP) - Wildlife officials are waiting for nightfall to decide whether to remove a bear that is perched in a tree in New Smyrna Beach.
The Florida black bear was spotted Saturday morning. Visitors to the area are taking pictures and video - from a distance.
The Daytona Beach News Journal reports (http://bit.ly/14Efzhl ) the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is keeping an eye on the bear and will wait for it to get dark before any decision is made to remove the animal.
Authorities say the bear likely traveled a couple of miles and crossed Interstate 95 in the early morning hours
FWC reports the Florida black bear population is thriving. The current population is estimated at more than 3,000, compared with as few as 300 in the 1970s.
