According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, or FWC, it gave green signal to the controlled hunting of as much as 320 black bears in October. It is for the first time in over two decades that the creatures will be hunted.

Animal rights groups and environmentalists are speaking in opposition to the planned hunt, which has been justified by the FWC by saying that black bears had become a trouble in some areas, attacking pets and people, and hunting for food near homes.

As per the FWC, hunting would be permitted for at least two days and officials will be evaluating the outcomes on the third day prior to making decision on whether to carry on or cancel the hunt.

It has been estimated by officials that nearly 3,100 bears are there in Florida and the animals have been entering places where they were not present earlier.

As per reports, approximately 1,900 hunters have received permits from the FWC and environmentalists are worried that the hunt will get uncontrollable once it begins on October 24.

Hunting has been approved on state lands in the north and central parts of the state, in the eastern Panhandle and in the southern counties of Collier, Broward, Hendry, Miami-Dade, Lee, Monroe and Palm Beach.

According to FWC Bear Management Program Director David Telesco, "Calls are up, vehicle strikes are up and they are starting to show up in places they have never shown up before". The hunt is expected to stabilize bear population in Florida.