Now, I've heard of these "albino" squirrels but had never seen one until I was in Florida a few weeks ago. From I've learned, they are most common in Brevard, North Carolina, and the ones in Florida were probably imported from there.
This little guy was trying to drink out of the birdbath behind the place I was staying at - but it was empty - so I took a bucket of water out to refill it for him and his pals.
I no sooner got back to the house I was staying at when I heard the landlord's dog start to bark furiously. I walked back toward the birdbath and nearly dropped my camera trying to take this picture! A Florida Black Bear had found a nice clean cool drink, emptying the birdbath, and was now going to tell the mouthy dog to shut up!
The dog was up on a balcony and when the landlord saw what he was barking at, I saw a hand reach out, grab his collar and the dog get yanked into the house. The landlord's head popped back out and he hollared over to me, "This is a cub, born early this year, if its momma is around - you will want to be inside!" So I quickly went inside and up to the balcony to look around for momma bear!
The American black bear is the smallest of the three bears species found in North America, and are found only in North America.
Fast Facts
Height: 2-3 feet (.6-.9m) at shoulders
Length: 4-7 feet (1.2-2m) from nose to tip of tail
Weight: Males weigh an average of 150-300 lbs (68-158 kg), females are smaller.
Exceptionally large males have been known to weigh 500-600 lbs (227-272 kg).
Lifespan: Average lifespan is around ten years, though black bears can live upward of 30 years in the wild.
The Florida black bear subspecies (Ursus americanus floridanus) is listed as threatened by the state of Florida. I was a very lucky guy to see one!
I guess when I can see this sign like this one outside my bedroom window, I ought to pay attention to it, huh?
:)
22 comments:
a double holy shit!...white squirrel and a bear outside your window..in fla.? how cool is that?..
that squirrel looked sooo cute! I have never seen a white one before. cool that you could get close to it to get some great pictures of it too!
oh wow with the bear! so glad the owner of the dog knew it was time to get that dog inside!
awesome pictures :)
betty
What awesome shots of that black bear! (of the white squirrel too, but wow...that bear!) Good thing you went inside.
Do the bears down in Florida hibernate like the bears up here? We've had customers telling us that the bears must be on a feeding frenzy before they hibernate because they're getting closer to their homes and tearing apart their bird feeders.
How cool! I love the squirrel, and the bear, OH MY!
oh that squirrel is sooooooooo cute!! I don't think I'd even wanna make squirrel dumplings out of him!!
We had black bears up in the mountains where we went camping. they'd come down from time to time. Big signs all over the park "DO NOT FEED THE BEARS" You managed to get some really good shots of it!
My goodness Iggy you just have all the fun dangit, I want to see one of those squirrels and that is so funny about the black bear and the person telling you about the momma being round you might want to be inside lol it was nice of them to warn you :o)
Love the white squirrel. I didn't even know such a thing existed. We have red squirrels here which I'd never seen before either. Good thing that Momma bear didn't come around. It's neat that you got a picture of the cub. :)
And here I mentioned your lack of a squirrel picture in the last post. I should have known you wouldn't disappoint!
You not only got a little white squirrel, but a big black bear. I'm beginning to wonder if you got any work done :0 Just kidding. I know you and your dedication. Your clients are very lucky to have you!
You were in the right place at the right time. Or is that the wrong time? Either way, you did what any true blogger would do.....grabbed the camera.
That squirrel is so cool.
That bear is scary though. I guess I'm traumatized because I watched a documentary where this guy hung out with bears and in the end got eaten by one.
Good gravy, kid. You must have had your fill of animals and nature to last you a year! That white squirrel looks cute and so odd at the same time. It looks like it's generating its own light.
And whispering writer, I've been hearing about that same movie over and over for the past several weeks. It just keeps popping up for some reason. I don't think I'm ever going to watch it though since I'd be traumatized too.
Glad you weren't bear food!
WOW! That's cool! :)
A white squirrel! Didn't know about those. Saw pitch black squirrels in Canada and they are gorgeous, too.
The bears! I'd steer clear. I watched that movie/documentary about the guy who ended up eaten by the bears. Sad to say, but I thought he was his own worst enemy. Thought he knew bears better than anyone--fancied himself the bear whisperer. But he was WAY overconfident and lacked proper respect for their space, etc. Was nerve wracking to watch him taping himself around the bears. My opinion while I was watching--I think they avoided him for a long time because he was loud, noisy, jumpy, and unpredictable. Animals are leery of the unusual, you know? They tolerated him for a long time while he stayed on the fringes of their lives because he hadn't threatened them. But he began to press his luck and infringe more and more. He truly, truly meant well, I do believe. Was very sad. :(
I am glad you went right inside, Iggy! :):)
Ohmygosh! I'm glad the bear didn't greet you when you were filling up the birdbath!!!
That squirrel is awesome. I've never seen one before!
Wow! I'm impressed! I've lived in Florida my entire life and have never once seen a bear or the albino squirrel! And you're photos are awesome!
WOW........ the little squirrel is adoreable :)..... I wonder it it hitchhiked to Florida or went there by train ;)
OH good grief at the bear, we did come across a real bear whilst in Maine but oh my cripes, your encounter is fantastic....... good job ya weren't sunbathing and the thing just wandered into the garden lol
x
WOW awesome shots of the white squirrel. So pretty. I didn't even know they existed.
I also didn't know black bears roamed around Florida. LOL Guess they are sun worshipers too. The bears around here are feeding like mad...getting ready for their long winters night I guess. The weather has been pretty warm though, I still have ladybugs keeping me company.
I think I would have retreated inside at the site of the bear. The squirrel is really cute.
awesome shots igs!
How exciting to get to see the bear! I'm glad it was you and not me, though....I've always wanted to pet a bear, and I'm not sure I'd have refrained being that close.
you've been getting around & seeing some great stuff.
I saw a baby bear last summer up in the mountains. It was so cute - and very tiny. We didn't stick around to look for mama.
(darn, I checked out the manatee song but there wasn't short "listen" file!)
Post a Comment