Florida Man, 89, And His Dog Mauled To Death By Black Bear In State's First Fatal Attack

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) connected Friday confirmed a man and his canine were mauled to decease by a achromatic carnivore successful Jerome — marking the first fatal achromatic carnivore onslaught successful authorities history.

Family members reported 89-year-old Robert Markel missing from his location and "signs of caller disturbances" that could person been caused by a carnivore aliases bears astir nan property. 

The Collier County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) notified FWC unit connected Monday of a imaginable fatal wildlife encounter, and FWC rule enforcement and carnivore guidance unit instantly responded to unafraid nan area.

Florida officials supply an update connected a fatal achromatic carnivore attack. (WINK-TV)

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Markel's remains were recovered astir 100 yards from his home, on pinch grounds of a "physical encounter" betwixt a carnivore and a personification adjacent nan house, according to a news merchandise from nan FWC.

Officials besides noted a canine was precocious killed by a carnivore adjacent a person, and location were signs that a carnivore had entered nan location itself. 

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While nan nonstop series of events remains unclear, nan FWC’s Human-Bear Conflict Response Policies and Guidelines outline really nan agency should respond erstwhile faced pinch situations that require nan removal of a carnivore for nationalist safety. 

From Monday nighttime into early Tuesday morning, FWC unit killed three big antheral bears weighing 207, 263 and 434 pounds, according to nan release.

Three achromatic bears were killed arsenic portion of nan Florida decease investigation. (iStock)

There was an unsuccessful effort to trap a 4th bear, but DNA grounds was collected, officials said.

The 3 carcasses were instantly taken to laboratories successful Gainesville for necropsy and testing, on pinch DNA samples collected from beingness grounds astatine nan scene.

FWC officials said nan Collier County Medical Examiner is still successful nan process of completing their investigation, but indicated Markel's preliminary origin of decease was "consistent pinch injuries caused by a achromatic bear."

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Necropsy results revealed that 1 bear, nan 263-pound male, contained partial remains of Markel.

DNA results received connected Friday positively identified that nan 263-pound male’s DNA was coming connected Markel, wrong his location and connected nan dog’s body. 

Authorities recovered nan victim's DNA successful nan bear's stomach. (WINK-TV)

The only carnivore DNA recovered astatine nan segment matched nan 3 bears that were killed by authorities.

All 3 bears were tested for rabies, and each results were negative, according to officials.

FWC rule enforcement and carnivore guidance unit stayed successful interaction pinch nan family and maintained a beingness adjacent nan spot until Friday, spotting only 1 further carnivore successful nan area.

Law enforcement and carnivore guidance unit will stay passim nan weekend.

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"We want to convey the family for their practice arsenic they navigate this challenging time, and our thoughts stay pinch them," said FWC Chairman Rodney Barreto. "I americium proud of our staff's master consequence and support for nan family arsenic they faced an unfathomable arena this week."

Jerome is successful nan South Bear Management Unit, which has nan third-largest organization of bears successful nan state, estimated astatine 1,044 successful 2015. 

The man's canine was besides killed successful nan achromatic carnivore attack. (iStock)

The FWC received 16 bear-related calls wrong a 10-mile radius of adjacent Copeland betwixt May 5, 2024, and May 4, 2025, resulting successful 5 tract visits, 5 seizure efforts, 3 bears that were relocated and hazed, and 1 carnivore that was humanely killed, according to nan FWC.

While it is uncommon for chaotic achromatic bears to injure group successful Florida, group person been bitten and scratched by bears, astir often erstwhile location are cubs, nutrient sources aliases dogs present. 

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The FWC receives an mean of 6,300 bear-related calls annually and has documented 42 anterior incidents wherever chaotic achromatic bears person made beingness interaction pinch group since nan 1970s, erstwhile broad records began being kept. 

Of those, 3 resulted successful superior injuries requiring aesculapian attraction anterior to nan astir caller incident.