ANIMALS

A North Florida lawmaker is calling for the state to hold a bear hunt after a county sheriff raised the issue as a way to help manage the area’s bear population.

In a release, the FWC reported that an officer was surveilling a nearby lake after complaints came in about illegal hunting in the area.

The daughter of the woman whose body was found in the mouth of an alligator in Pinellas County released a statement on Monday saying how hard the death has been on her family.

A sheriff says Florida needs to find solutions as encounters between bears and humans are increasing.

The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office identified the person whose body found in a waterway near a large alligator on Friday.

The young alligator likely lost her jaw due to an injury. Now, Gatorland is looking to help her recover.

Police said they recovered over two dozen animals from the property, though a shed in the backyard contained a large number of remains.

A woman in Orange County was cited after deputies learned she was keeping an alligator in a bathtub, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

The circle of life is thriving at Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park this year.

An Amazon driver is in serious condition after being bitten by a rattlesnake while making a delivery to a Florida home.

The old Daytona Mall in Daytona Beach will soon be home to an aquarium with a shark tank, a stingray touch pool, and eventually a rainforest.

Several beachgoers can be seen struggling to drag the shark back into the Gulf in the two-minute long video posted on Facebook.

One of five of the original giraffes to be on habitat when Expedition Africa opened at the Brevard Zoo has died, according to a news release.

The pandas are currently in Washington, D.C. because of a loan agreement established between the Zoo and the Chinese government. But that arrangement is about to end.

Mikayla Frierson is founder of the nonprofit Rescuing Ocala Wildlife or R.O.W.

An Apopka woman was bitten in the foot by a shark at a Ponce Inlet beach on Monday, according to Volusia County Beach Safety.

The Florida Department of Health in Seminole County issued a rabies alert on Friday after an infected bat was discovered in the area.

In a release, police said the citizen found the sea turtle on the beach before handing it over to one of the department’s patrol officers.

A man suffered a head injury after falling during an encounter with bear in the Alaqua Lakes neighborhood on Tuesday evening, according to Seminole County Fire Rescue.

Police said the arrest happened on April 8 around 2:10 a.m. after the department received a burglary report from a local car dealership.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission will not file charges against a Seminole County man who shot at a bear earlier this month because the man says he feared for his life.

Scientists say the loss of ice around Antarctica is hurting the survival of emperor penguin chicks.

A monkey appears to be on the loose in Orange City, and authorities are urging residents to report sightings to Florida wildlife officials.

A giraffe born without spots at a northeastern Tennessee zoo may be plain, but she's anything but ordinary.

In a release, FWC officials said that law enforcement investigated the shooting, and the bear was euthanized due to the severity of her injuries.

Publix officials said that the signs are being posted in the chain’s nearly 1,400 locations in the Southeast U.S.

A photo of a North Florida angler holding a dolphin several feet out of the water has prompted outrage online and investigations by state and federal agencies, according to News 6 partner WJXT.

Lolita, the 57-year-old killer whale who lived at Miami Seaquarium, has died of an apparent renal condition, the facility announced Friday.

Seeing more spiders lately? August going into September many homeowners begin to notice an uptick in spiders.

Officials in Volusia County are seeing a record-breaking number of sea turtle nests on the county’s beaches this year.

According to investigators, 42-year-old Anthony Galloway had bailed from the stolen car and started banging on the door of a nearby apartment while screaming “Momma.”

The village of Pinecrest in Miami-Dade County is planning to use vasectomies to help solve the issue of its overwhelming number of peacocks.

A Ring video catches the moment a woman about to take her dog for a walk meets a Florida black bear, just outside her door.

In celebration of International Assistance Dog Week, SEALIFE Orlando Aquarium has announced that it is an official training facility for Canine Companions.

Pet owners face a potentially big problem as the veterinary field deals with a growing shortage of veterinarians.

We’re celebrating our favorite (not-debatable) four-legged friends!

Police said that around 12:30 a.m. on July 25, a man was caught on surveillance footage killing a wild rooster near 421 Flagler Ave.

Between its white beaches, wide array of wildlife and vast swaths of greenery, it’s no surprise that Florida is a hotspot for agrotourism in the U.S.

Fans of Rafiki from Disney’s “The Lion King” might want to make their way to Disney’s Animal Kingdom soon.

Entering the waters in the "shark bite capital of the world" is a risk you have to be willing to take.

Robert Pettitt who lives on the Grand Canal said he's now heartbroken for a dog owner in his neighborhood. The FWC said it received the report of the deceased dog in the mouth of the crocodile on Monday.

Police said that on the evening of July 25, a man was caught on surveillance footage killing a wild rooster near 421 Flagler Ave.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission estimated the number of Florida crocodiles have increased to as many as 1,500 to 2,000 adults, coming back from an estimated 300 in 1975.

If you think taking your dog or cat to the vet is tough, imagine having to take a nearly 400-pound alligator.

The Volusia County Sheriff’s Office arrested a man accused of animal cruelty after four horses were seized earlier this month, one of which had to be euthanized.

A manatee in the care of Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium died from an injury caused during a sexual encounter with his brother, according to the USDA.

Flagler County officials have released a parking guide for nighttime beachgoers to follow during turtle-hatching season.

They're rare, but they're out there.

An affidavit states that in 2022, officers arrived at a home belonging to Noemy Pantoja after receiving reports of dozens of animals living in the building.

The 2023-2024 hunting season is set to kick off in Florida, and the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has announced the dates when hunters will be able to go out and nab their prey.

Orange County Animal Services is offering free pet adoptions for the rest of the month.

A UCF student is back home from the hospital after being bitten by a shark. Chris Pospisil said he was surfing with his friend when the shark attacked.

A review of the status of a vanishing species of whale found that the animal’s population is in worse shape than previously thought.

The Halifax Humane Society announced that all of the dogs brought to their new adoption center in the Volusia Mall found new homes during the grand opening weekend.

A former assisted living center and animal rescue in Daytona Beach is facing eviction. The owners said they desperately need to find a home for close to 100 animals.

A Cocoa woman who worked as a pet sitter on Rover.com was sentenced to one year of probation after a dog in her care died of heatstroke, court records show.

The Orlando Police Department is searching for a horse that was stolen out of its trailer on June 22 after surveillance footage caught the thief riding away on a bike.

Duke McDreamy is a therapy dog who volunteers at AdventHealth Orlando.

A dog was found dead and dozens of others were seen to be living in deplorable conditions at an Orange County home Thursday, according to the sheriff’s office.

In a release, the Forest Service said that the area would remain closed until the alligator was safely trapped and removed.

Jonathan Castillo and his wife Jennifer are overcome by grief. Their dog Tyler, a small schnauzer mix, died at an animal clinic Sunday days after being attacked.

Volusia County deputies seized four horses from a property over the weekend, with two of them extremely emaciated, the sheriff’s office said.

Starting Nov. 1, residents will be allowed to bring their dogs to a small sliver of Ormond Beach as part of a pilot program.

Ocala resident Monica Howard spotted this dispersing juvenile bear rummaging through her trash recently.

The Volusia County Council is set to take up a proposal Tuesday that would temporarily allow dogs on a section of beach.

Mike Kleiman, a resident in Orange County’s Conway neighborhood, told News 6 on Monday that his bin was one of those that were damaged. He added that it all began about a year ago.

Officials with Seminole County Animal Services say pets need extra care during July 4.

The Indian River Lagoon accounted for the majority of the deaths in the state in the last two years, mostly because of its poor water quality. Now, biologists tell News 6 they're finally starting to see conditions improve.

Gatorland welcomes new crocodiles at reptile park.

An animal shelter in Daytona Beach is temporarily closed due to some dogs at the center being diagnosed with upper respiratory infections.

Dozens of animal shelter facilities across Florida are partnering with Petco this weekend for a massive adoption event, and all adoption fees are waived.

A 13-year-old boy was bitten by alligator in a Winter Springs creek on Tuesday, according to fire officials and a 911 call from the boy.

An administrative law judge has sided with bars in Tampa and Orlando after the Florida Department of Health last year tried to block dogs from being in the establishments.

According to deputies, 30-year-old Tristin Greene reportedly threatened to "slice everyone up" and stab a dog after being refused car keys.

Seminole County fire crews had a “purrrrfect” start to their Thursday morning after rescuing a kitten from a storm drain, according to the fire department.

Summers in Central Florida are also getting hotter, according to our media partners at Climate Central, so it’s important to pay extra attention to our four-legged friends.

This time of year bears are more active and juvenile bears are starting to leave their mother’s home range and may be seen in unexpected areas as they try to find a new home.

Three words a crowd of Florida beach goers didn’t expect to hear during their Sunday in the sun… “It’s a bear!”

Polk County Animal Control announced it is hosting Adoptapalooza, a free pet adoption event.

This happened in 2020 and is part of a series and is part of a series where we are looking back at most-watched viral videos.

At the height of the pandemic, these doodles were selling for thousands of dollars, and a lot of families couldn't wait to get one. Now, life is back to normal, and most people no longer want or can afford these popular pooches.

The Lake County Animal Shelter is set to provide free vaccines for your furry friends on Friday.

Drivers in Kissimmee were met by a strange sight on Tuesday during their daily commutes: two cows running between vehicles out on the highway.

Fossil hunters in Florida are unearthing incredible finds, including prehistoric creatures such as rhinos, sabretooth cats and ancient relatives of elephants.

Gov. Ron DeSantis has formally entered the race for the White House.

A Brevard County woman was arrested on Monday after abandoning a dog and a pig at her dead boyfriend’s home, according to the sheriff’s office.

Two cats were rescued during a garage fire in Winter Springs on Friday evening, according to the Seminole County Fire Department.

The second annual Hang 8 Dog Surfing competition is set to return to Flagler Beach on Saturday, according to county officials.

Trappers from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission got called into a neighborhood after a resident saw an American crocodile in his driveway Thursday.

A dead armadillo on a runway at Orlando International Airport caused a number of delayed flights Wednesday morning, transportation officials said.

A Seminole County deputy helped trap a 6-foot long boa constrictor last week, according to the sheriff’s office.

An alligator stops by a fire station, but this isn’t a lead into a dad joke.

At the end of a five-day trial on Friday evening, a Volusia County man was convicted for his role in a 2021 Daytona Beach dog-fighting ring.

The man authorities said was caught on video last year beating a shark with a hammer on a Brevard County beach pleaded not guilty Thursday.

A former Orange County animal shelter volunteer is accused of dragging and killing a puppy last year, according to the sheriff’s office.

Law enforcement responded after a bear was been reported in Altamonte Springs, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

An alligator was found in an Oviedo storm pipe during an inspection by city crews last week, according to Oviedo officials.

A dog was found abandoned outside the Halifax Humane Society on Wednesday, prompting crews to rescue the pet, according to the animal shelter.

On six-and-a-half acres west of Interstate 95 in Port St. John, more than 250 horses have been rescued, rehabilitated and rehomed after their racing days came to an end.

A 15-year-old Sumter County girl was killed last week during a horse-riding competition in Florida.