Fatal Bear Attack Recorded for first time in Florida

Bear approaches door of home. Image from Winter Springs, Florida, Police Department

An 89-year-old Florida grandfather appears to have been attacked and killed by a black bear during the early morning hours of May 5th, near Jerome, Florida.  Jerome is a rural area on the opposite side of the state from Miami, between the Big Cypress Wildlife Management Area and the Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park, part of the Everglades.

The relative of 89-year-old Robert Markel called 911 to report a bear had killed Markel’s dog as the relative had watched, and that the elderly relative was missing. The call was made about 7 a.m. From fox4news.com:

“No, he’s gone completely. His whole camper was destroyed,” the 911 caller said. “He’s not in there. He’s 89-years-old…he can’t run. He literally can’t even walk without falling over,” he added.

The granddaughter told deputies on scene the last time she saw her grandfather was 7:30 p.m. Sunday. 

When deputies arrived, the report says the trailer was in disarray, the mattress was off the bed and items were scattered throughout the trailer.

One relative said (video) the dog was tied to a fence outside the camper when the bear attacked Markel and dragged him from the camper. It is not clear if the dog was tied up when the dog was killed by a bear hours later.

Investigators from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission suspect Robert Markel was killed hours before the 911 call. The call was made at about 7 a.m. If correct, Markel was attacked in the early morning hours, before daylight.  Sunrise, on May 5th in South Florida was scheduled for 0641, in Eastern Daylight time.

Video of the scene showing a woodline indicates the area is heavily forested.

Woodline near where fatal Florida bear attack took place.

Markel’s pants and bloody t-shirt were found about 20 yards from the camper. His body was found about 100 yards away, in the woods, covered in leaves and dirt. It is common for bears to cover large prey with dirt and forest debris.

So far, three bears have been killed by FWC agents. They are testing the bears for DNA to make certain the remove the offending bear or bears.

Analysis: with a rapidly expanding black bear population in Florida, and increasing bear-human conflicts, a fatality was nearly inevitable. Less than a year ago, Florida Governor DeSantis signed a bill which restored some of the rights of people to defend themselves against bears which threatened themselves, their homes, and their pets.  It appears black bears are very common in the area where the fatal attack occurred. If the victim had been able to access nearly any type of firearm, it is likely he would not have been killed. Black bears usually to stop attacking if they are hurt or wounded.

The last time an official estimate of the black bear population was in 2014-15. The estimate, at that time, was there were more than 4,350 bears. Black bear populations, with abundant food and habitat, can easily increase by 15% a year, after subtracting cannibalism by adult male bears and the approximate 300 black bears killed in vehicle accidents in Florida each year. A new estimate of the Florida black bear population is due shortly. This correspondent has been unable to find any official estimate of the black bear population in Florida since the study conducted in 2014-15.

©2025 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.

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