3 Bears Killed After Fatal Attack On FL Man, Dog: Officials

Updated 1:17 p.m.

COLLIER COUNTY, FL — Wildlife officials killed three bears after an 89-year-old man and a dog died in a fatal black bear attack Monday at State Road 29 and U.S. 41 near Jerome in southwest Florida. State wildlife officials said it was the first fatal bear attack recorded in state history.

The location is south of Big Cypress Wildlife Management Area, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said.

Robert Markel, a Jerome resident, was killed in the rampage, wildlife officials said.

Markel's daughter, after seeing the attack on the dog, went searching for her father, ABC News reported.

More than one bear may have mauled the man and his pet, FWC spokesperson George Reynaud told WINK.

"Both of these incidents did happen some time apart," Reynaud told reporters. "They did not occur at the same exact time, and they were found reasonably within a couple hundred yards of the area."

On Tuesday, wildlife officials said DNA samples from the three bears were sent to a Gainesville facility for testing. Several traps and cameras have been put in the area.

"Out of an abundance of caution, we urge residents and visitors to continue to remain vigilant and avoid the area. Do not approach or attempt to track wildlife. Law enforcement and FWC personnel are continuing to monitor bear activity and ensure public safety," wildlife officials said in a news release.

Florida is home to about 4,000 black bears — the sole bear species in the Sunshine State — that live in swamps, flatwoods, oak scrub and hammocks, according to the Florida Wildlife Federation.

The last black bear attack happened on Feb. 15 in Silver Springs, when a mother bear attacked a dog, according to data from the FWC. (See the FWC's bear monitoring data here.)

Deadly black bear attacks are 167 times less likely than a man ages 18-24 killing a person, according to the North American Bear Center.

The FWC says that if a bear is threatening the safety of humans or animals or causing property damage, contact wildlife officials. When bears feel threatened, they will moan, blow, huff, or stomp the ground to show they are uncomfortable and need space. To learn more about what to do if you encounter a bear, the FWC has tips.

With 750,000 black bears in North America, they kill an average of less than one person annually, the organization stated.

"Bears that visit campgrounds, bird feeders and garbage cans almost never kill people, even though these bears have by far the most contact with people," the North American Bear Center stated.

The national organization said black bear attacks are broadly unprovoked, predatory and in remote areas where there is minimal contact with humans. However, black bears who attack are largely doing so to defend themselves against someone too close in proximity.

What To Do If You Encounter A Bear

If you encounter a bear at close range:

• Remain standing upright
• Speak to the bear in a calm, assertive voice
• Back up slowly toward a secure area, be sure you are leaving the bear a clear escape route
• Avoid direct eye contact - bears and other animals may view this as aggressive behavior
• Stop and hold your ground if your movement away seems to irritate instead of calm the bear

DO NOT:

• Make any sudden or abrupt movements
• Run - running can trigger a chase instinct and bears can sprint up to 35 mph
• Play dead - black bears eat things that play dead or are dead
• Climb a tree - black bears can climb 100 feet up a tree in 30 seconds
• Approach or surprise a bear, especially one that may be injured

If a black bear attacks you:

• Fight back aggressively. People have successfully fended off black bear attacks using rocks, sticks, or even their bare hands.