Florida police say don’t take selfies with stressed bear: ‘He’s clearly not in the mood for pictures’

An unusual warning was issued in the Florida Panhandle when passersby went overboard taking selfies with a wild bear.

No one got hurt, but the bear was clearly fed up, the Walton County Sheriff’s Office wrote in a Facebook post.

It happened Thursday, July 18, along U.S. 98 in Santa Rosa Beach, about a 65-mile drive east from Pensacola. The highway is a busy coastal artery.

“Onlookers were trying to take selfies with the bear and he’s clearly not in the mood for pictures. The bear has shown signs of severe stress,” the sheriff’s office said.

“Please do not approach black bears at any time. Especially those that are showing aggression like this big fella.”

Deputies were posted to keep motorists from stopping for more selfies. The department also called the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to check on the predator’s condition.

Photos show the bear sitting conspicuously out in the open, seemingly exhausted as it leans against a pole.

FWC officers responded and discovered the adult male had vanished, presumably back into the woods.

It’s possible the bear had been overcome by heat, experts say. Daytime temperatures in the area have been in the 90s.

“The bear did not appear to be injured based on images shared with our staff; it may have just been overheated and was resting before moving on,” officials told McClatchy News.

“Crowding around any bear is never recommended, as bears can become defensive when threatened; it is best to always give bears as much space as possible.”

Signs of stress in a bear include yawning, teeth clacking and pounding their front paws on the ground while huffing, the National Park Service reports.