Press Releases

Bears shot to death
December 13, 2008

Fish and Wildlife investigators in Collier County are trying to find out who’s responsible for killing two black bears, then dumping their bodies along State Road 29.

They’re among the largest creatures making their homes in Southwest Florida – and twice in the last few months, they’ve turned up shot to death along the roadside.

“They were transported over there, dumped and made it to look like they were possibly hit by a car," said Lt. Wayne Maahs of Florida Fish & Wildlife.

But Maahs says the two black bears were intentionally killed. A threatened species in our state, bears don’t ordinarily pose a danger to people – but they do like to rummage through the garbage for food – and that’s where the problem comes in.

“The bear will come along and try to get a free hand out, so we have a lot of confrontations here between them," Maahs said.

In all likelihood, the 200 pound bears were shot because they were being a nuisance to people in the area. However, authorities encourage people to never take matters into their own hands – and to follow the procedures in place to handle problem bears.

“We actually found a little piece of paper inside one of the bear’s mouth, so it’s possible he was in the trashcan, or trying to get into something, when he got shot," Maahs said.

Whomever is responsible for the killing the bears could face up to five years in jail, and a fine of several thousand dollars. It’s unknown if the shootings are related, but what authorities do know is that there’s someone out there with information that can lead to an arrest – and a cash reward waiting in exchange.

“The bears are here to stay, people are definitely here to stay, so we might as well try to get along with them and there are things we can do to make this confrontation better," Maahs said.

Anchor tag: Anyone with information on the shootings of the black bears in Collier County is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-780-TIPS (8477). All callers will remain anonymous and will be eligible for up to $1,000 in cash rewards. Tips may also be made online at www.swflcrimestoppers.org.