The preliminary investigation of the primary deadly bear assault, which has been recorded in Florida, has been launched. From Naplesnews.com:
A autopsy examination of the bears discovered Markel’s partial stays within the physique of a 263-pound male. Checks confirmed that bear’s DNA additionally was on Markel, in his residence and on the physique of a household canine.
All the report is on the market from myfwc.com. A number of issues stand out within the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Fee report. Whereas it could appear trivial to some, the primary sentence exhibits a bias towards minimizing the hazard of bear assaults:
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Fee (FWC) has concluded its preliminary investigation into what’s confirmed to be the primary deadly Florida black bear assault in state historical past this week in Jerome, Florida.
That is virtually actually *not* the “first deadly Florida black bear assault in state historical past. A lot is determined by the way you outline “state historical past”. Many would say “state historical past” extends to the complete historic file. The state of Florida appears to agree. The primary written information of Florida had been made in 1513. From fl.gov:
Written information about life in Florida started with the arrival of the Spanish explorer and adventurer Juan Ponce de León in 1513. Someday between April 2 and April 8, Ponce de León waded ashore on the northeast coast of Florida, presumably close to present-day St. Augustine. He known as the realm la Florida, in honor of Pascua florida (“feast of the flowers”), Spain’s Eastertime celebration. Different Europeans might have reached Florida earlier, however no agency proof of such achievement has been discovered.
A extra correct description of the deadly assault in 2025 could be to explain it because the “first recorded” deadly black bear assault in state historical past. From 1513 till 1845, when Florida grew to become a state, is over 330 years, throughout which only a few written information of wildlife confrontations had been stored. Virtually actually, black bears in Florida killed some individuals throughout that interval, earlier than cartridge firearms grew to become obtainable, when Florida remained principally wilderness.
In a earlier AmmoLand article on the assault, a relative reported a bear had killed a household canine. Then the relative said their grandfather was lacking, and their camper was “destroyed”. The relative had final seen her grandfather the evening earlier than.
The relative of 89-year-old Robert Markel known as 911 to report {that a} bear had killed Markel’s canine because the relative had watched, and that the aged relative was lacking. The decision was made about 7 a.m. From fox4news.com:
“No, he’s gone utterly. His entire camper was destroyed,” the 911 caller mentioned. “He’s not in there. He’s 89-years-old…he can’t run. He actually can’t even stroll with out falling over,” he added.
The granddaughter informed deputies on scene the final time she noticed her grandfather was 7:30 p.m. Sunday.
The decision seems to clarify the canine was killed after Robert Markel went lacking, his trailer was trashed by one thing (presumably the bear), and virtually actually after Markel was dragged 100 yards away, killed, and his physique lined in dust and leaves. The report seems to place such a sequence unsure. From the report:
The stays of 89-year-old Robert Markel had been discovered roughly 100 yards from his residence. Investigators famous a number of key findings: (1) proof indicating a bodily encounter between a bear and an individual close to the residence; (2) a canine just lately killed by a bear in shut proximity to an individual; and (3) indicators {that a} bear had entered the residence itself. The precise sequence of occasions stays unclear.
One of many three bears killed by investigators had stays of Markel in its digestive system. It was a male that weighed 263 lbs. All three bears killed had DNA that matched the DNA discovered on the scene. The FWC report exhibits that in the 12 months earlier than the assault, three bears had been relocated and “hazed,” and one different bear was killed.
The FWC obtained 16 bear-related calls inside a 10-mile radius of close by Copeland between Might 5, 2024, and Might 4, 2025, leading to 5 website visits, 5 seize efforts, three bears that had been relocated and hazed, and one bear that was humanely killed.
The FWC report doesn’t say if any of the bears “relocated” matched the DNA of the bears that had been killed close to the assault website. “Relocated” bears have a protracted historical past of returning to the realm the place they had been captured.
If the DNA of the “relocated” bears matches that of the three bears on the assault website, the FWC could be discovered legally liable. Such was the case in Arizona with the assault on a camper on Mt. Lemmon, close to Tucson, AZ. This correspondent would count on DNA samples to be routinely taken from any captured bear. FWC has a fiscal obligation to the general public to aim to defend itself from lawsuits. In addition they have an obligation to the general public to warn them of potential risks. They’ve an obligation to protect proof and scientific knowledge.
About Dean Weingarten:
Dean Weingarten has been a peace officer, a navy officer, was on the College of Wisconsin Pistol Staff for 4 years, and was first licensed to show firearms security in 1973. He taught the Arizona hid carry course for fifteen years till the purpose of Constitutional Carry was attained. He has levels in meteorology and mining engineering, and retired from the Division of Protection after a 30 12 months profession in Military Analysis, Growth, Testing, and Analysis.
