Latest news with #MorganRichardson
Yahoo
5 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Video shows bear taking dip in Gulf off Naples beach. 'Mom, run!' son warns his mother
A Florida black bear was caught on video going for a swim in the warm waters of the Gulf, just offshore from a Naples beach. Kylie Nelson and her son were taking a morning beach walk on May 30 when they spotted the bear taking a dip, according to Storyful. As the bear neared the beach, the boy can be heard in the video yelling, "Mom, run!" After leaving the water, the black bear can be seen running in the backyard of a building. Wild black bears are found in almost half of Florida, according to the FWC. Southwest Florida is among the "frequent" locations the FWC classifies where Florida black bears can be seen. Per FWC, nuisance bear calls climbed from 2,000 in 2016 to more than 6,000 in 2024. 'As the bear population grows and development occurs, we are probably going to see more bears move into developed areas. So that's one reason we want to try to manage bear population growth,' FWC's director of hunting and game management Morgan Richardson said. If you encounter a black bear at close range, FWC advises you to stand upright, back up slowly and speak to the bear in a calm, assertive voice. FWC also recommends the following: Don't feed or intentionally attract bears If a bear eats something on your property, take note and secure it Don't surprise or approach a bear If you're in your yard: Make sure you're in a safe area and the bear has a clear escape route, then make noise or bang pots and pans to scare the bear away Don't turn your back, play dead, climb a tree or run. Back away slowly. Avoid direct eye contact as the bear may view it as aggressive behavior A man and a dog were killed in a bear attack in rural Jerome, in Collier County, Florida on May 5, 2025. A family member reportedly called 911 at 7:15 a.m. after witnessing a bear kill the victim's dog. There was no sign of Robert Markel, 89, and his trailer was in disarray, with a mattress and other items scattered throughout, according to a police report. No blood was reportedly found inside the camper, but Markel's bloodied wallet, pants and T-shirt were found about 20 yards away in a wooded area. Markel, of Jerome, was found dead on the property, about 100 yards from the dog. Florida Fish and Wildlife later confirmed a 263-pound male black bear killed Markel in the first recorded fatal bear attack in Florida history. The bear was one of three shot and killed around Markel's property and sent for necropsies and DNA testing. Wildlife encounter: Florida man gored by bison in Yellowstone National Park. What we know A new Florida law allows the use of lethal force to kill a bear if the person "reasonably believed that his or her action was necessary to avoid an imminent threat of death or serious bodily injury to himself or herself, a pet, or substantial damage to a dwelling." Notification must be provided to FWC within 24 hours. The agency will dispose of the bear. Possession, sale and disposal of bear parts is prohibited. Fines for violations can be $5,000. This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: Bear in Florida swims in Gulf off Naples beach: Watch
E&E News
21-05-2025
- Politics
- E&E News
Florida wildlife panel moves forward with bear hunt plans
Florida wildlife officials voted Wednesday to take a major step toward holding the state's first bear hunt in a decade. Details: The state's Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission voted 4-1 to consider rules in August that would allow 187 bears, or less than 5 percent of the estimated statewide population, to be killed in four zones. Commission members during their discussion didn't advocate for a hunt but asked whether they could return in August to make changes. They also raised concerns about the proposal allowing hunting over wildlife feeders. Advertisement 'It is a very conservative harvest we are looking at,' Morgan Richardson, the agency's director of hunting and game management, responded to the panel during the meeting in Ocala.
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Florida Wildlife officials to propose bear hunt this week
State wildlife officials next week will hear a proposal to create an annual 'limited-entry' black bear hunt, with a December hunting period the first in more than a decade. A summary of the proposal was posted online Wednesday in advance of a Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission meeting next week at the College of Central Florida in Ocala. 'Managing (bear) population growth is important to balance species numbers with suitable habitat and maintain a healthy population,' according to the summary by Hunting and Game Management Director Morgan Richardson. The proposal would allow the first hunt since October 2015 to run from the first Saturday in December through the last Sunday in December, with future hunts held each year between Oct. 1 and Dec. 31. In 2015, 304 bears were killed in two days after permits were distributed to anyone who paid. The new proposal includes issuing permits through a random draw. The number of permits would be based on factors such as female bear survival and mortality data that would include prior year 'hunting success rates.' Hunting would be allowed within what are known as 'bear management units' that have at least 200 bears. Bear hunting has long been a controversial issue in Florida. Supporters say, in part, a hunt could help better manage bear populations as the animals interact with humans. They also point to a voter-approved ballot measure in November that enshrined hunting and fishing rights in the state Constitution. Opponents have argued that hunting doesn't reduce human-bear interactions and say the state should use non-lethal options to address bear populations. They say unsecured trash continues to be a lure for bears on residential and commercial properties. The commission on Friday confirmed an 89-year old Collier County man was the first recorded fatal victim of a bear attack in Florida. The state has recorded 42 incidents since the 1970s of wild bears making physical contact with people. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
