PALATKA, Fla.-- Folks in the Rolling Hills subdivision of Palatka are freaked out and on high alert.
They have an unwanted neighbor who they say has been around for years.
"He's big! This is not no baby cub!" Metoya Poole said.
Poole is one of many in the area who has had enough. Nearly every night, a large bear is seen traipsing out of the woods, rummaging through trash.
"When he wants that food out of that trash, you can hear him. It's like thunder outside, and you know he's out there. When you have thunder, he's out there," she continued.
Oleander Drive -- where the bear is most often seen -- is bordered by brush and woods. The big concern among neighbors are the children and pets who play nearby. What if the beast gets aggressive? What if it swipes a loved one? Those are all questions they want answered, and issues they hope wildlife officials can take care of.
"Wildlife needs to do something. This is ongoing. He might go for a week and he comes right back. And I'm tired of going out and picking up trash."
According to the FWC, there were 4,000 bear sightings last year -- a 100 percent increase since 2006. Officials plan on physically going out to the neighborhood soon and passing out bear literature.
