Photo: Bastiaan Slabbers / iStock Unreleased / Getty Images
Collier County, FL - Authorities are investigating a suspected bear attack that left a man and his dog dead near the Big Cypress Wildlife Management Area.
According to state wildlife officials, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) confirmed the incident occurred near the intersection of U.S. 41 and State Road 29, just south of the protected wilderness zone, early Monday morning.
Deputies with the Collier County Sheriff’s Office responded to a call shortly after 7 a.m. and discovered the man and dog deceased at the scene.
Both appeared to have injuries consistent with a large animal attack.
FWC officials stated the incident is being treated as a possible fatal bear encounter.
Black bears are the only species native to Florida and are estimated to number over 4,000 across the state.
Though bear sightings are not uncommon in rural parts of Collier County, fatal encounters remain extremely rare.
The man’s identity has not yet been released as authorities work to notify next of kin.
Officials believe the bear may still be in the area and have launched a search effort to locate it.
As a precaution, the FWC is urging residents and visitors to stay alert, avoid wooded areas near the site, and report any bear sightings.
“Do not approach or attempt to track wildlife,” the agency advised.
This incident is still under investigation, and authorities have not yet confirmed if a bear was definitively responsible.