ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. — A woman living in St. Augustine Shores just caught the second black bear sighting in three days in St. Johns County.
Sheila Hicks-Besch’s house, where the bear was spotted crossing her yard on the doorbell camera, is only about 20 minutes south of where Action News Jax told you Tuesday about the first black bear sighting in downtown St. Augustine.
“I had to look at it a second time to make sure I saw what I thought I saw,” said Hicks-Besch “and then I kind of found it amusing. I mean, he was a cute little thing.”
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Hicks-Besch says her Ring doorbell camera video, only shared to Action News Jax, caught the black bear crossing her yard at around 5:00 AM Thursday. There are woods near her home, but she immediately thought of the first black bear sighting when she saw the video.
“I was shocked that it was a bear. But after seeing the one downtown, you know, I’m like, ‘Oh, well, maybe that’s the same one,’” Hicks-Besch said.
Action News Jax sent the doorbell camera video to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission, who still hasn’t caught the black bear seen walking along King Street on Tuesday morning. That afternoon, FWC had told us the bear got lost in the marsh in Lincolnville.
After seeing the new doorbell camera video, FWC tells us it can’t confirm whether this is the same black bear, but it is working to figure it out.
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Hicks-Besch says this is her first time seeing a black bear so close, but she’s not hoping it comes back for hibernation.
“My first thought is, ‘oh, he looks so soft. I just want to hug him.’ But I would never hug a bear. Never try to hug a bear,” Hicks-Besch said.
To see FWC’s list of reported black bear sightings in the last 5 years and learn how to report your own, click here.
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