Florida First: Elderly Man is First Black Bear Fatality in State History

Doug Howlett

In a chilling first for the Sunshine State, 89-year-old Robert Markel and his dog were fatally attacked by a black bear near Markel’s home in Jerome, Florida, marking the state’s first recorded fatal bear encounter in history. Authorities were notified of a possible fatal bear encounter May 5 and discovered Markel’s remains approximately 100 yards from his residence. The body of his mauled dog was found nearby and there was evidence a bear had entered his home as well. Authorities could not determine the exact sequence of events, however, DNA analysis confirmed that a 263-pound male black bear, one of three in the area euthanized by wildlife officials, contained Markel’s remains. The bear’s DNA was confirmed to be present inside the residence and on the dog’s body.

“From Monday evening into early Tuesday morning, FWC (Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission) personnel lethally removed three adult male bears weighing 207, 263 and 434 pounds. There was an unsuccessful attempt to trap a fourth bear; however, DNA evidence was collected. The three carcasses were immediately transported to laboratories in Gainesville for necropsy and testing, along with DNA samples collected from physical evidence at the scene,” the FWC reported in a press release.

The FWC receives an average of 6,300 bear nuisance calls annually and has documented 42 previous incidents where black bears have had physical contact with humans since the 1970s when records began being kept. Most of those physical interactions were scratches or bites with only three, prior to last week, resulting in injuries severe enough to warrant a hospital visit. Prior to Markel’s death, there had been only 61 fatal black bear attacks recorded in North America since 1900 according to the North American Bear Center.