Previous coverage: On May 5, FWC officials gave the first public update on the deadly bear attack that occurred earlier that morning.
JEROME, Fla. (WFLA) — Earlier this week, Florida Fish and Wildlife officials captured a bear in which they found partial remains of an 89-year-old man, marking the first fatal bear attack in the history of the state.
According to a Friday press release by FWC officials, initial findings showed that within a 263-pound male bear were the remains of Robert Markel, a longtime resident of Collier County who was discovered deceased on Monday morning. The presence of the bear’s DNA was detected on Markel, inside his trailer, and on a dog’s body. The Collier County Medical Examiner continues with their investigation.
Investigators noted evidence suggesting an encounter between the bear and Markel near his trailer, alongside a dog’s recent death attributed to a bear nearby, and indications of the bear having entered the trailer. Still, the sequence of events has yet to be clarified, according to the FWC.
Just after 7 a.m. on May 5, Markel was found dead nearly 100 yards from his dog in Jerome, located south of Big Cypress Wildlife Management Area. After Markel’s dog was found dead in the front driveway, a search ensued for the man.
The 911 call from Markel’s granddaughter to the Collier County Sheriff’s Office, released Tuesday, detailed the moments when family members discovered the 89-year-old missing from his trailer, along with signs of disturbances likely caused by bears. His granddaughter told operators that the bear had entered his residence while he was sleeping.
FWC’s incident report described Markel’s trailer as being in “disarray,” with the mattress and other items scattered throughout.
Searching for the culprit, FWC officials trapped and removed three bears, weighing 207, 263, and 434 pounds, in the area on Tuesday and sent them off to Gainesville for a necropsy and DNA testing. Officials were unsure if the same bear, or multiple attacked, as the deaths occurred at separate times, they said Monday.
Four live bear traps were deployed that afternoon. FWC said that while they were unable to capture the fourth bear, they were able to obtain DNA evidence. All three bears successfully captured matched the DNA found at the scene, indicating the presence in the area is isolated to those three.
On Thursday night, an additional bear was briefly spotted in the area but left. FWC said Jerome has the third-largest bear population in Florida, with approximately 1,044 bears. While fatal attacks are rare, officials urge Floridians to remain vigilant and keep a safe distance if one is near.
“We want to thank the family for their cooperation as they navigate this challenging time,
and our thoughts remain with them,” FWC Chairman Rodney Barreto said. “I am proud of
our staff’s professional response and support for the family as they faced an unfathomable
event this week.”
Wildlife officials and local law enforcement will remain in the area throughout the weekend. This remains an ongoing investigation until testing is completed and results are thoroughly reviewed.
For more information on Florida black bears and what to do in the event a bear approaches, click here.
