Video Shows Bear Stealing Avocados From Florida Residents

A neighborhood in Central Florida has been dealing with an unwelcome guest: a black bear has been spotted around the area for months and helped itself to produce growing on some residents' properties.

The bear's presence in the Davenport, Florida, neighborhood of Thousand Oaks was first reported by WFLA on Sunday after resident Lynn Wracan sent to the outlet a video she had taken of the large animal making its way around. The video, posted on the outlet's official website along with the story, shows the bear fussing with a tree not far from where Wracan was filming.

According to the resident, the animal initially seemed intrigued by some nearby Christmas lights, before moving on to the tree and attempting to grab the avocados growing on it. After that, it seems to curl up on the ground as if trying to go to sleep.

"No freaking way," Wracan can be heard saying in the video. "No, he's eating our avocados. No, that's not a good idea, pumpkin. Oh, you're gonna take a nap now? Seriously?"

Wracan further explained to WFLA that the animal has been stalking around the neighborhood for months—at least since she moved to the Thousand Oaks area. In that time, it has made a consistent habit of pilfering produce growing on trees maintained by residents.

Attempts to reach out to officials and have the animal safely removed from the neighborhood have not been fruitful, with local wildlife authorities stating that there is nothing they can do about the situation. It is suspected that, given the time of year, the black bear is most likely working to store calories for hibernation. Despite assurances from officials that the animal would go away soon, Wracan said that it is still being spotted in the neighborhood.

"Wildlife said we wouldn't see him in December, and he is here to gather as many calories as he can," she explained.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission has advised that black bears are typically shy animals that are rarely known to attack humans, though they can be extremely dangerous if actively provoked. The best tactic, according to the commission, is to stay well away from them and not do anything to alert them of your presence. In emergency situations where a bear is attacking someone, the commission advises residents to stand their ground and fight back with anything at hand, as it is not unheard of for attacking black bears to be warded off in such a manner.

Newsweek reached out to Polk County Animal Control for comment.