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Credit: DisneyAs Florida wildlife officials give preliminary approval for its first black bear hunt in a decade, it raises questions about the prevalence of the animal across the Sunshine State – including Walt Disney World Resort.
Located in what was once swampland, Walt Disney World was always going to be a hub for wildlife. Florida is renowned for its alligator population. In fact, alligator sightings are a relatively common occurrence across Disney property, with the creatures sighted at the likes of Tom Sawyer Island, Disney’s Beach Club, and the former site of Splash Mountain (now Tiana’s Bayou Adventure) in the past.
Thankfully, Disney has a vigorous alligator relocation program, which means the risk to guests is minimal. Since 2016, over 200 alligators have been removed from Walt Disney World Resort. However, guests are still warned not to enter fresh water, such as Bay Lake and Seven Seas Lagoon, to avoid incidents similar to the tragic, fatal attack on a toddler at the Grand Floridian in 2016.
But even Disney can’t control all wildlife. Armadillos, snakes, and raccoons have all startled guests at Disney World over the years. Even more alarmingly, black bears have also been spotted across the resort, with one creature giving guests a shock when it prowled through the grounds of a Disney World hotel back in 2023.
Bears Spotted at Walt Disney World Resort
Journalist Sam Walker shared a picture on Twitter snapped by a guest that showed a Florida black bear roaming through Disney’s Fort Wilderness. The bear was reportedly spotted in the 1700 loop/Hickory Hollow area of the campsite.
No laughing matter! #OBX doesn't have all the bears, so does @WaltDisneyWorld. Nicole Hollowell spotted this one today in the 1700 loop/Hickory Hollow at Fort Wilderness! pic.twitter.com/Mtt9zbuf5v
— SamWalkerOBXNews.com🎙📻📰🥍🦓 (@SamWalkerOBX) June 15, 2023
Florida black bears are a subspecies of the American black bear and can be found throughout most of Florida, as well as the southern areas of Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi. They mainly live in forested areas (but are increasingly spotted in urban areas) and are typically shy and reclusive, following a diet that consists mostly of plants and vegetation.
In the same week that the bear was spotted at Fort Wilderness, a Florida black bear was removed from Tampa International Airport and spotted paddling in the water at a Destin beach. Just a few months later, an adult, female black bear temporarily shut down parts of Magic Kingdom – including Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Jungle Cruise, and Pirates of the Caribbean – after being spotted in a tree at the theme park.
“In most cases, it is best for bears to be given space and to move along on their own,” the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission spokesperson Lisa Thompson said at the time, “but given this situation, staff have captured the animal and are relocating the bear out of the park to an area in or around the Ocala National Forest.”
She later added, “During the fall, bears are more active as they search for food to pack on fat reserves for the winter,” Thompson added. “This particular bear was likely moving through the area searching for food.”
Although obviously alarming to someone who’s never spotted a bear in the wild before, fatal attacks on humans are extremely rare. In fact, the state’s first confirmed fatal attack only occurred earlier this month when an 89-year-old man and his dog were mauled at a rural unincorporated community approximately 40 miles southeast of Naples.
However, more people have been bitten or scratched by bears believed to be defending themselves, their cubs, or food.
With that in mind, a bear roaming around Disney World – which is heavily populated with young guests – isn’t ideal.
Have you ever spotted a wild animal at Walt Disney World?