On May 10, 2025, lab results confirmed that a 263-pound male black bear, one of three killed by wildlife officers in southwest Florida, was responsible for the fatal attack on 89-year-old Robert Markel and his dog. The incident occurred a day earlier near Jerome, close to Florida’s Big Cypress wildlife management area in Collier County. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission reported that a necropsy revealed partial remains of Markel in the bear’s stomach, confirming its involvement. This event marks the first recorded fatal black bear attack in Florida’s history, as stated by wildlife officials. The commission has documented 43 human-bear encounters in the state since 2006, most involving dogs, but none had previously resulted in a human fatality. Florida’s black bear population, once threatened, has been increasingly active in rural areas, highlighting growing interactions with humans.
34news.online
34news.online
