In a shocking and unprecedented incident, an 88-year-old man and his dog were killed in what officials believe was a black bear attack near Jerome, Florida, early Monday morning. According to ABC News, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) confirmed this as the first fatal bear attack ever recorded in the state.
The victim, Robert Markel, was found by his daughter after she heard a disturbance and witnessed a bear attacking their family dog. After the dog was fatally mauled, she searched for her father and tragically discovered that he, too, had been attacked and killed. The two attacks occurred within a few hundred yards of each other and at different times, according to FWC spokesperson George Reynaud.
As reported by CBS News, wildlife officers immediately began searching for the black bear, setting four traps in the area and using drones to canvass the terrain. Two bears were euthanized Monday night, and The Associated Press notes that DNA testing is currently underway to determine whether either of them was responsible for the attacks.
The incident occurred near State Road 29 and U.S. 41, on the southern edge of the Big Cypress Wildlife Management Area. Officials have urged the public to stay away from the area while the investigation continues and to exercise caution around wildlife
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Strangest Poaching Case Ever?
In this unusual episode of Dark Outdoors, we uncover the bizarre case of a man who posed as a woman to gain illegal access to a city park—and its vulnerable deer population. What starts as a strange poacher scheme spirals into a web of wildlife trafficking, leading investigators deep into the shadowy world of exotic animal cloning. Join us as we track the trail from urban deer blinds to high-stakes deals involving the cloning and black-market trade of the elusive Marco Polo sheep and it’s “Frankensheep” hybrids.
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