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After a 30 year battle to stay alive in Florida, black bears are making a healthy recovery.

In the 1970’s their numbers dropped to 300. Today there are more than 3-thousand. There are enough black bears now, that according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, they should be taken off the threatened species list. FWC Director Nick Wiley says it will give the commission more freedom to look at the bigger issues.

“Some of the rules and regulations that go with a threatened species, we can loosen up on some of that and we can now move toward looking at those habitat issues and looking at the bigger issue,” said Wiley.

The commission released its bear management plan in Tallahassee today. It includes creating seven bear districts, increasing informational campaigns, but hunting black bears is not part of the plan. The commission is now taking public comment on the plan. They expect to vote on it next year.