Florida wildlife officers have killed three black bears in the area of southwest Florida, after a fatal attack killed an 89-year-old man and a dog earlier this week. Collier County officials stated the attack occurred in a rural area near the Big Cypress Wildlife Management Area.
It has not been determined whether any of the bears killed were involved in the death of Robert Markel. His attack was the first time a bear has killed a human in Florida history. Mr. Markel’s dog was killed the same morning, and it is not known if the attack was from the same bear.
It had been Markel’s daughter who witnessed the attack on the dog, and in the morning called 911; she was not able to locate her father.
According to the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, DNA samples from the bears and the attack have been sent to Gainesville for testing to determine if the bears killed by officers had been involved in the attacks. The man and the dog were attacked and killed at different times.
The area where the attacks took place has been secured and several traps and cameras continue to record bear activity.
Florida’s black bear populations have increased in recent years. It is estimated that 4,000 black bears inhabit Florida.
Wildlife officials caution people about encountering a bear. People are cautioned to “stand your ground” and make yourself look large. Do not run and do not play dead.
You can prevent bears with big appetites wandering into your neighborhood by properly storing garbage, pet food and bird seed. Using bear-resistant garbage cans and dumpsters, or putting out garbage the morning of pickup, rather than the night before, also will help.
Bear Fact: Black bears eat more than 5,000 calories a day in summer but need to eat more than 20,000 calories per day in fall.
Learn how bear-resistant trash cans work: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7ipfh2pEJY..
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