The Sierra Club Florida Chapter is asking supporters to donate $100 to help bear advocates claim hunting permits won in the state's bear tag lottery, which closed after Floridians who want to protect black bears entered for a chance to secure one.
Florida will begin notifying lottery winners on September 25, and those selected will have a limited window to claim their bear hunting permit at a cost of $100 for Florida residents. The chapter said that for someone who entered the lottery to save a bear, the fee can be a significant expense.
"Will you make a $100 gift today to help a bear advocate claim their permit and keep it out of the hunt?" said Jessica Wisdom, Development Director of the Sierra Club Florida Chapter.
The group said a gift of $100 can cover the cost of one Florida resident's bear permit, while $200 can cover two, and gifts of any amount will help continue its work to protect Florida's black bears.
The chapter pointed to last year's results, saying that of the 172 permits issued for Florida's first black bear hunt in a decade, only 52 bears were killed.
Between September 25 and November 2, permits will be offered through three rounds. The chapter said that each time one of its bear advocates is selected, it wants to make sure cost isn't the reason they have to let the permit go.
"The lottery may be over, but there's still time to help save a bear and support our work to protect Florida's wildlife," Wisdom said.