The rise of cell phone cameras means that people are snapping lots of pictures these days.
But the risk some people go to for the perfect picture is getting extreme.
And police are warning Florida tourists not to take selfies for this scary reason.
Florida police have warned people not to take selfies with a depressed black bear
Walton County, Florida on the state’s panhandle is bustling this summer with tourists flocking to its beaches on the Gulf of Mexico.
Residents and tourists have been warned by the police to not let their desire to get the perfect picture for social media put them in danger.
A black bear has been sighted hanging on the side of the road on Highway 98 in Santa Rose Beach.
People have been stopping to take selfies with the bear because it does not seem to be afraid of humans.
Crowds had been gathering around the bear to get their picture taken with it.
The bear just hangs out by a telephone pole on the highway which led some to speculate it is suffering from depression.
The Walton County Sheriff’s Office issued a warning on social media not to take selfies with the bear because it was becoming so common.
“Onlookers were trying to take selfies with the bear, and he’s clearly not in the mood for pictures,” the Walton County Sheriff’s Office warned. “PLEASE DO NOT APPROACH black bears at any time. Especially those that are showing aggression like this big fella.”
Normally, common sense would dictate that getting anywhere near a bear is a horrible idea.
But common sense is not so common these days.
The black bear is suffering from the blues
The Walton County Sheriff’s Office claimed that the bear was suffering from depression.
“Famous last words, ‘If not friend, why friend shaped?’ Because this black bear is stressed depressed lemon zest,” the sheriff’s office stated.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) dispatched biologists to deal with the bear after it became a local celebrity and roadside attraction.
But when they got there the bear was gone.
“FWC bear biologists and officers responded to the location after being contacted by Walton County Sheriff’s Office deputies, but by that time, the bear had dispersed and walked off into the adjacent woods,” a FWC spokesman said.
The FWC downplayed the possibility of the bear being depressed.
“The bear did not appear to be injured based on images shared with our staff; it may have just been overheated and was resting before moving on,” the FWC spokesman added.
Making the bear feel cornered by surrounding it for pictures is a bad idea according to the FWC.
“Crowding around any bear is never recommended, as bears can become defensive when threatened; it is best to always give bears as much space as possible,” the FWC explained.
Black bears are more active in the spring and summer and younger ones leave their mothers to venture out on their own.
The situation confirmed that people are willing to take insane risks to get a cool picture.
DeSantis Daily will keep you up-to-date on any new developments in this ongoing story.
