bears

The Florida hunt exposed deep emotional divisions among animal rights activists and hunters. In social media forums and in dueling media interviews, the groups fiercely debated the morals and heritage of hunting, the science of bear biology and its ecosystem – arguing even about the Biblical aspects of whether God would approve.

After having what one described as a "significant impact" on Florida's black bear hunt this month, conservationists could seek to add bears to the federal threatened species list. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission on Tuesday reported 52 bears were killed during the hunt, which was held from Dec. 6 through Sunday. That was less than a third of the 172 bears that could have been killed.

The bears were physically checked by FWC staff and contracted bear response staff. The agency said that a full report will be released in the coming months. The FWC did not break out the data to show how many bears were killed in each of the four approved bear hunting zones or the sex of the bears killed.

What started as a favor to help find a friend's missing cat became a full-time job for Jamie Katz, who has spent the past decade tracking lost pets across South Florida. Now, she's using her skills to help protect bears in Florida.

The protests are timed to take place only days before the FWC is scheduled to vote August 13-14 on approving rules for a three-week bear hunt in December.

“The only justification the FWC [Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission] has given for having the hunt is to offer an opportunity for trophy hunters to bag a bear,” the group Bear Defenders said in a statement announcing the protests.

Investigators said the remains of 89-year-old Robert Markel were found about 100 yards from his home in rural Jerome. They found evidence that “a physical encounter” occurred between a bear and Markel; that the man’s dog was killed nearby and that the killer bear “entered” the victim's home.

“We do know it was a bear attack,” an FWC spokesperson told reporters at a press conference. “We don't know if it was the same bear or multiple bears.”

Florida Wildlife Commission officers are investigating an attack involving a black bear in Collier County and the deaths of a man and dog.

Fat Bear Week is officially back. This year's chunks include defending champ Otis — and a mother bear named Holly, known for adopting orphaned cubs.

The 500-pound animal is a "severely food-habituated bear," meaning that it "has lost its fear of people and is associating people with access to food," California officials say.

Homestead police began the Fourth of July responding to an unwelcome backyard guest: a young black bear strolling from home to home in a popular…