A large black bear, weighing near 300 kilos, is believed to have just lately mauled to demise an 89-year-old Florida man and his devoted canine — the primary such killing in state historical past.
Robert Markel’s granddaughter known as 911 on the morning of Might 5, after seeing a 263-pound bear killing her dad’s canine proper exterior his camper, located on her property in Jerome — about 70 miles south of Fort Myers.
The canine was lifeless by the point Collier County Sheriff’s deputies arrived on the scene, based on the Naples Every day Information. And Markel was nowhere to be discovered.
It wouldn’t be lengthy although earlier than his stays have been situated 100 yards from the camper.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Fee discovered a few of the killer bear’s DNA contained in the camper and on the canine’s corpse.
Officers searched the realm and located three bears, which they fatally shot and are testing for DNA to establish which was accountable for the horrific killings.
They discovered a few of Markel’s stays in one of many bear’s abdomen.
Police are nonetheless attempting to find out if Markel was killed previous to his canine.
“The FWC receives a median of 6,300 bear-related calls yearly and has documented 42 prior incidents the place wild black bears have made bodily contact with folks for the reason that Seventies, when complete data started being stored,” authorities defined.
The Might 5 incident marks the second bear mauling in Florida this 12 months.
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