Wildlife officials in Lake County now say a man who claimed a bear attacked him in Sorrento late Thursday lied, and in fact fell while chasing a bear.

Florida Fish and Wildlife officers said Josh Hennessy saw a bear late Thursday night in his neighborhood at the Oak Springs Mobile Home Community, off Mount Plymouth Road. They said Hennessy chased the bear up the road and fell, causing the injuries he had described as claw and bite marks.

Hennessy, 36, had claimed he heard something rustling in the bushes and went to check it out, and the bear jumped at him and dragged him into the road. He also claimed he punched the bear in the head to get it off of him.

It didn't really drag me too much. It was just kind of dragging me around by my pant leg. Luckily -- you can see the teeth marks -- but it didn't really get in me, but it got more ahold of my clothes than it did anything.

The Hennessys had recently moved into the mobile home park. Josh's wife, Courtney Hennessy, said she had never seen a bear before, but neighbors have talked about seeing them all the time.

"Everybody talks about it," she said. "They won't put their trash out until the morning, when the trash man comes. And his dad says, 'Oh, that bear is over at the porch over there, eating cat food.'"

Fish and Wildlife officers said they do believe a bear was in the area, and kept a trap set up in the mobile home park, wearning neighbors to take caution.



Oak Springs Mobile Home Community is just a few miles west of Wekiva Springs State Park. On the other side of he same park, a bear attacked a woman in Longwood in December.

Neighbors in Sorrento said a bear they've seen near their homes could be as large as 400 pounds. To compare, the bear caught in Longwood two months earlier was 200 pounds. Investigators called the December incident the worst bear attack on record in Florida.



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What to do if you encounter a bear

If you encounter a bear at close range, remain standing upright, back up slowly and speak to the bear in a calm, assertive voice.



Do NOT feed or intentionally attract bears. If a bear eats something on your property, take note of what it is and secure it once the bear leaves.



NEVER approach or surprise a bear. If you see a bear from a distance, enjoy the experience, but do not move toward the bear. If you are close, do not make any sudden or abrupt movements. Back way slowly and be sure the bear has an obvious escape route.



If you are in your yard:

Make sure that you are in a safe area and that the bear has a clear escape route. Then, make noise or bang pots and pans to scare the bear away.

Do NOT turn your back, play dead, climb a tree or run. Back away slowly into the house or secure area.

Avoid direct eye contact. Bears and many other animals may view this as aggressive behavior.

Report any bear that is threatening the safety of humans, pets or livestock, or causing property damage to the FWC.



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How to keep bears away from your home

Secure household garbage in a shed, garage or a wildlife-resistant container.

Put household garbage out on morning of pickup rather than the night before.

Secure commercial garbage in bear-resistant dumpsters.

Protect gardens, apiaries, compost and livestock with electric fencing.

Encourage your homeowners association or local government to institute ordinances on keeping foods that attract wildlife secure.

Feed pets indoors or bring in dishes after feeding.

Clean grills and store them in a locked, secure place.

Remove wildlife feeders or make them bear-resistant.

Pick ripe fruit from trees and remove fallen fruit from the ground. Bears love fruit!

Screened enclosures are not secure and will not keep out bears.

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Map: Where bears live in Florida