HIGHLANDS COUNTY HAS TEMPORARILY SUSPENDED ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR BEAR-RESISTANT CANS. APPLICATIONS FOR THIS PROGRAM MAY RESUME IF AND WHEN ADDITIONAL CANS BECOME AVAILABLE.
Highlands County does not have any discounted bear-resistant carts available at this time and it is unknown if or when additional cans will become available. Highlands County has received more applications for cans than what are available.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and Highlands County teamed up in 2018 to provide bear-resistant trash cans to county residents at discounted rates. The County was awarded a BearWise Grant from FWC for $48,000 and the money was used to purchase bear-resistant trash cans.
Trash is the number one bear attractor in Florida. Bears that become food conditioned are more likely to return to residential areas and cause property damage getting to a food source. Bears also lose their fear of people and become a threat. Using bear-resistant trash cans help deter bears from associating a home with a food source.
For more information about bears, as well as how to reduce conflicts, please contact the FWC South Central office in Lakeland at (863) 648-3200 or visit https://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/wildlife/bear/.
Please report any bear conflict or interaction to the FWC South Central office at (863) 648-3200 during business hours, or call the Wildlife Alert Hotline at (888) 404-3922 after hours. The web link above also allows residents to report any conflicts or interactions online.
If or when additional bear-resistant cans become available, they will only be available to Highlands County residential customers who can provide proof of residence within the area designated by FWC and Highlands that is eligible for bear-resistant cans.
Click on the image below to enlarge.
For more information about deterrents to attracting bears, including bear-related brochures, flyers and videos, please visit the following FWC sites:
Never intentionally feed a bear. It's illegal in Florida.
Remember, a fed bear is a dead bear.