An elderly man may hold the tragic and gruesome distinction of being the victim of the first deadly bear attack in one state's recorded history. I'm talking about Florida, of course.
While the state has plenty of alligators and pythons, it is also home to a population of black bears. Until now, black bears and humans have mostly co-existed. Deaths have weighed heavily on the bear side when looking at interactions between the two. But now, a deadly bear attack claimed its first victim in the state — maybe. It's not been confirmed yet, but it's possible.
Both an 89-year-old Florida homeowner and his pet dog sadly died. Authorities believe a bear spotted on the man's property was responsible for the deaths. Robert Markel's daughter found the body of her father. She also saw the bear killing Robert's dog near the property in Collier County. He lived alone with the dog.
According to Fox 4, the bear may have attacked and killed the Florida homeowner hours before. Right now, authorities are testing to confirm the cause of death.
Deadly Bear Attack?
"The bear involved may still be in the area as our officers continue to secure the perimeter," FWC Officer George Reynaud said. "Out of an abundance of caution, we urge residents and visitors to remain vigilant and avoid the area."
Meanwhile, it appears that authorities tracked down and killed the bear. Naples Daily News reports authorities hauled a dear bear from the woods after gunshots. It would be the first deadly attack by the animal species in Florida if confirmed. There are more than 4,000 of the animals in the state.
Right now, authorities are continuing their investigation of the death. They also wanted to share their sympathies with the man's family and friends.
"We would like to extend our heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of Mr. Markel," Reynaud said, per Fox 4 Now. "At this time, we have deployed four live bear traps around the vicinity of where the incident occurred in an attempt to capture this bear."
We'll keep you updated as more information surfaces on this tragedy.
