If the FWC approves, Florida will hold its first bear hunt in ten years. But the agency is taking steps to avoid the problems ...

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission received 16 bear-related calls within a 10-mile radius of nearby Copeland, Florida, between May 5, 2024, and May 4, 2025.

The first was Robert Markel, who was killed by a black bear in Collier County. The second was Cynthia Diekema, who was killed while canoeing on Lake Kissimmee, south of Orlando.

Florida authorities found Robert Markel and his dog deceased on May 5 following a bear attack on Markel's property near Jerome, a small unincorporated community 30 miles east of Naples, according ...

On Monday, May 5th, the Collier County Sheriff’s Office alerted FWC staff to a potential fatal wildlife encounter. Family members of 89-year-old Robert Markel had reported him missing from his ...

In early May 2025, 89-year-old Robert Markel and his dog were killed by a black bear in Florida. This incident marked the first fatal black bear attack in the state’s history. This tragic loss ...

If approved, the hunt would last three weeks in December and be the first black bear hunt in the state since 2015. FWC plans to issue 187 permits across Florida, with 55 permits designated for Lee ...

Florida confirms first deadly black bear attack in state history The 911 calls from Robert Markel’s family paint a picture of shock. (Source: WINK, COLLIER COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE, CNN) ...

Evidence and DNA collected from a black bear killed this week confirmed it was the animal that killed 89-year-old Robert Markel and his dog, state wildlife officials said. Officers responded to a ...