Authorities in South Florida are searching for a black bear that fatally attacked a man and his dog in a rural area east of Naples, near the Big Cypress Wildlife Management Area, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) said Monday.
The Associated Press said the agency has issued a public safety warning, urging residents to remain vigilant and avoid the area as local law enforcement and wildlife officers continue the search for the bear. Officials believe the animal may still be nearby.
Details about the attack remain limited. The FWC did not release the name of the man killed or specify exactly when the incident occurred.
Black bears are native to Florida and were once listed as a threatened species. While most of Florida’s bear population is concentrated in the northern and central parts of the state, sightings and encounters have become more common in recent years, especially in rural and suburban areas where development has increasingly encroached on bear habitats.
This rare fatal encounter underscores the growing tension between human communities and Florida’s expanding bear population.
Authorities are asking anyone who sees a bear in the region to contact the FWC immediately and not to approach the animal.
