October 24th is the date set by the authorities euphemistically considered to be the ones who protect the American Fauna to begin the hunt for wild black bears in Florida. In two days, 320 must be annihilated, with rifle shots, for more than 1,900 hunters registered for that official massacre.

The protests of the environmentalists did not succeed. Weeks ago, hunters already prepared for the massacre crowded halls of a Fort Lauderdale hotel, when discussing the operation to be held in October. On the outside, environmentalists with posters shunned the plan.

This hunt will be the first officially authorized in 20 years. In 1994, the hunts were banned, as a way to protect the species that was being extinguished. In 2012, the authorities counted the existence of more than 3,000 bears in the wild, after these years of their integrity protection.

The complaints of some citizens do not justify the massacre that is about to happen. Bears invade distant properties and go to the waste sector to forage for food. A program to educate the population to assemble a garbage storage system which is bears invasion proof, according to the environmentalists, has not been actually implemented by the state authorities. The population’s complaints are minimal and do not justify the release of the hunt.

Authorities have killed bears when they consider that the complaint of citizens is danger to human life. In 2014, 34 bears have been killed and this year more than 70 have already been slaughtered due to specific complaints.

It does not make sense a state with the power and wealth of Florida, which generates more tourism than any other US territory, is unable to mount an effective and coherent plan to keep alive the 3,000 black bears that inhabit a large area of ​​its protected forests.

If something is not done urgently to stop this massacre, 320 innocent bears will be slaughtered by hundreds of hunters – who are the really wild ones this story and a shame to humanity.

Dr. Pedro A. Ynterian

President, GAP Project International