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FWC investigating report of bear being shot in Marion County
The FWC has opened an investigation after receiving reports of a bear being shot in Marion County. Neighbors told FOX 35 that a mother bear was shot and killed, leaving her cubs parentless.
MARION COUNTY, Fla. - Florida wildlife officials are investigating the fatal shooting of a black bear near Lake Kerr in Marion County that neighbors say left three cubs without their mother.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) confirmed it responded to reports that a bear had been shot and said the investigation remains ongoing.
What we know:
A neighbor who declined to give his name said he saw the bear walking near a home before hearing a gunshot. He said the wounded bear appeared disoriented before collapsing and dying near a property line.
The neighbor said three cubs ran from the area after the shooting. He has since seen two of the younger cubs but said a third, older cub has not been spotted recently.
Giovanna Gallottini, a volunteer with the nonprofit Ocala National Forest Alliance, said young bears rely on their mothers to learn how to find food and avoid danger.
"Mother teaches them everything — where to forage, what kind of food is good, where to go, what to avoid," he explained. "[She] also protects them from other predators and also from adult male bears."
Under Florida law, a bear may be killed outside a legal hunting season if a person reasonably believes the bear poses an imminent threat of death or serious bodily injury to a person or pet, or if the bear is causing substantial damage to a structure where the person is seeking shelter. A person who kills a bear in self-defense must report it to the FWC within 24 hours, and the agency must collect and dispose of the remains.
What we don't know:
The FWC has not announced whether anyone will face charges in connection with the shooting.
The Source: This story was written based on information shared by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Giovanna Gallottini, a volunteer with the nonprofit Ocala National Forest Alliance, and residents near Lake Kerr.