A Florida black bear checking out an Orlando apartment complex got escorted off the premises by police earlier this month.

Two photos posted online have sparked dozens of comments — and renewed concerns about wild hogs roaming through the Lake Nona community.

A Punta Gorda woman was arrested after a video was discovered that revealed her engaging in a “sexual act” with the family’s pet dog, according to the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office.

Five puppies are now a step closer to finding loving homes after Puppy Rescue Flights completed a rescue mission from Alabama to Central Florida over the weekend.

Five puppies are now a step closer to finding loving homes after Puppy Rescue Flights completed a rescue mission from Alabama to Central Florida over the weekend.

Human development may be shifting the seasonal calendar for pollinators, according to a new study from University of Florida researchers.

A University of Florida researcher has documented a mosquito species never before recorded in the United States.

A fight over two alligators living in a Viera retention pond may have ended before some neighbors could convince their homeowners association to reconsider having them removed.

A surfer off New Smyrna Beach was bitten by a shark Wednesday. Volusia County Beach Safety says the male surfer was in the water at around 11 a.m.

A U.S. lawmaker from Florida has introduced a new bill after a Central Florida woman was killed in an alligator attack earlier this year.

Bowen Aquarium will occupy a 14-acre site on Port Canaveral property bordering the Banana River, located just off State Road 528. The campus will feature 10 buildings, some dedicated to the filtration systems required to maintain the large habitats, along with heavy landscaping designed to mirror the natural look and feel of natural Florida.

Orange County is under a West Nile virus advisory after sentinel chickens used to monitor mosquito-borne illness tested positive, according to Orange County Mosquito Control.

A Silver Springs man is recovering after being bitten by a shark Sunday in Key West.

An HVAC technician has been arrested after he was caught kicking a homeowner’s dog by a dog-treat dispenser, according to the Sanford Police Department.

Permit applications for Florida's upcoming bear-hunting season will open up next month, with the official hunt kicking off later this year.

A Florida HOA paused plans to euthanize an invasive Muscovy duck population after residents took matters into their own hands, capturing and transporting the ducks to a private sanctuary an hour away.

The peacocks have become a feathered fault line in Casselberry — loved by some as part of the city’s character and blamed by others for property damage they say they have little legal power to prevent. Now, for the first time in years, the protections surrounding them could be reconsidered.

A News 6 Neighborhood Network tip brought us to a Sanford community where an HOA’s plan to euthanize Muscovy ducks is drawing pushback from some neighbors.

Casselberry commissioners approved a one-year pilot program Monday that would allow some residents to legally keep backyard chickens within city limits.

The Deltona City Commission is scheduled to hold a second reading on a proposed ordinance that would increase fines for violations involving animal abandonment and strengthen the city’s local animal-control rules.

A wild mustang can begin its life roaming federally managed land in the American West and, years later, end up thousands of miles away at a rescue in Central Florida.

The owner of a dog that Volusia County deputies said killed an 8-year-old boy in DeLand has been arrested again — this time on drug charges, according to jail records obtained by News 6.

The Lake County Animal Shelter needs help after taking in 85 dogs from a “high-volume pet owner.”

In its report, Orange County Sheriff's Office investigators cited disease, transportation stress, and nutritional deficiencies as contributing factors in the deaths of 55 sloths at the never-opened International Drive attraction.

New Smyrna Beach firefighters helped push two beached manatees back into the water Monday night, but state wildlife officials say the animals should not have been touched or moved without direction from trained responders.

A Brevard County woman was arrested on Monday after she was accused of stabbing a horse, according to Sheriff Wayne Ivey.

Florida is well-known for its large alligator population, but with that comes a pretty big downside: a greater possibility of alligator attacks.

A bale of baby sea turtles got turned around overnight Friday in Volusia County. Fortunately, some Volusia County deputies were able to stop and give them directions. The Volusia Sheriff’s Office said about 75 sea turtle hatchlings were seen trying to crawl up a beach approach toward Atlantic Avenue. It's a reminder that Volusia County requires beachside properties to keep lights to a minimum during nesting season.

The 10-day event drew 907 participants from 30 states and overseas, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. The longest snake pulled during the challenge measured nearly 17 feet.

A Volusia County animal sanctuary that has cared for elderly and disabled animals for more than four decades says it is searching for a new home after the property’s new owner began charging $4,000 a month in rent.

Nearly a year after the Sloth World controversy sparked outrage across Central Florida, Orange County leaders are exploring whether they can prevent a similar situation from happening again.

Butterflies move between flowers as wind chimes ring through the trees at the Trout Lake Nature Center.

The Osceola County Sheriff’s Office says deputies were called to Tohopekaliga High School on Thursday after the school’s resource officer reported an alligator on campus.

Disney’s Animal Kingdom has a new silverback gorilla. Bakari, 21, is taking over leadership of the park’s family troop after the departure of longtime silverback Gino.

Tech giant Google is seeking government approval to release 32 million mosquitoes into Florida — and the proposal has sparked reactions from thousands online.

Armadillos are a familiar sight across Florida — and for many homeowners, they’re best known for digging up yards and gardens. Health experts say there’s another reason to keep your distance: Armadillos can occasionally carry the bacteria that causes Hansen’s disease, also known as leprosy.

A 21-year-old man said he was bitten by a shark off Daytona Beach Shores over the weekend after he moved his pregnant fiancée toward shore and then fought to get the animal off him.

A severely burned osprey found on a Blue Origin launch pad the day after a rocket explosion is recovering at the Florida Wildlife Hospital.

An investigation is underway after a dog was allegedly struck by a Brevard County patrol car, which then left the scene, according to Sheriff Wayne Ivey.

A Central Florida man was arrested after being accused of violating recent emergency rules regarding a flesh-eating parasite, according to Florida Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson.

Volusia County has officially broken its sea turtle nesting season record — and there are still three months left to go. As of Wednesday, turtles have laid 1,517 nests along the county’s coastline, surpassing the previous record of 1,516 nests set in 2023. Nesting season runs through Oct. 31.

Three rare reptiles in Florida are being added to the list of endangered species under federal law, according to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.

Bunnell police arrested a 21-year-old Palm Coast woman on Sunday after officers discovered two dead dogs inside a storage unit where investigators allege the animals were kept in “dangerous conditions.”

Hunters from all over the world are in the Everglades right now, competing to bring in the most Burmese pythons before the Florida Python Challenge wraps up on July 19.

Kangaroos, monkeys, giant lizards, snakes and a 2,000-pound white rhinoceros are among more than 140 animals that escaped from captivity in Florida since 2022, state wildlife records obtained by News 6 reveal.

Residents in Edgewater say feral hogs have been tearing up their yards — often overnight — causing thousands of dollars in damage. The city says it has trapped 50 hogs over the past three months as part of an ongoing effort to get the problem under control.

The pasture mealybug has now been detected in 15 Florida counties — including two Central Florida counties — and scientists at the University of Florida are racing to find solutions.

An 11-year-old Pennsylvania boy lost his hand in an alligator attack while fishing with his family at Nelson Fish Camp in Florida. The boy's father attempted to save him, but the alligator severed his hand, which could not be reattached despite multiple surgeries. The community has rallied around the family, raising funds for medical expenses and future prosthetic costs. Authorities remind the public to stay alert and cautious around alligators, especially during warmer months.

For the fourth year in a row, one Florida city ranked at the top of the list.

Deputies said he took over 20 dogs from his mother's home in Palm Coast before heading to St. Johns County, where they were purposefully released and abandoned on the side of the road.

Deputies said they received a tip last week about the video, which was reportedly posted to Snapchat.

Loved ones of 31-year-old Brittany Clark are mourning after officials say she was killed in an alligator attack in Seminole County. Family members say Clark loved the outdoors and spending time on the water.

Trappers caught a 12-foot alligator and a 13-foot alligator from the area in Seminole County where a 31-year-old Orlando woman died Sunday after an alligator attacked her while she was swimming with her boyfriend and best friend. What we know about the attack, and what Florida wildlife officials are doing now.

After coming across a Facebook post showing the duct-taped dog, investigators said they jumped into action to find the animal and its owner.

People who want to bring sloths into Florida will have to file for a special permit under a new rule by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. The new policy was created after dozens of sloths died in the care of a group planning to open the Sloth World attraction on International Drive in Orlando.

Chicken petition tops 750 signatures as commissioners prepare to discuss backyard hens.

A sub-adult loggerhead sea turtle named Wombat is back in the wild after spending three months recovering at the Marine Science Center in Volusia County.

Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey took to social media on Thursday, targeting an animal cruelty suspect after a dog had to be euthanized.

Florida is well known for its record-holding alligators, but there’s another scaly predator that has quietly expanded into the state, according to experts.

Another of the sloths from Sloth World has died. The Central Florida Zoo in Sanford announced that Willow, one of 14 sloths that arrived at the zoo in April, had to be put to sleep.

The boyfriend of a woman mauled to death protecting her dog is now being accused himself of animal cruelty, according to the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office.

Brevard County deputies are investigating after three dogs were found dead inside a trailer belonging to the boyfriend of a woman who was fatally attacked by dogs last month.

Volusia County is having a record-breaking sea turtle nesting season — and it’s not even close.

Disney’s Animal Kingdom introduced guests to Ivy, a baby Masai giraffe now visible on Kilimanjaro Safaris. Keepers say she’s shy, staying close to mom Willow, and part of an AZA Species Survival Plan conservation effort.

Gov. DeSantis has extended a state of emergency after the screwworm was detected in the U.S. last week. Meanwhile, Florida's agricultural leader has imposed emergency rules to ward off the threat.

Gatorland in Orlando was forced to evacuate on Tuesday over a reported bomb threat, according to the Orange County Sheriff’s Office.

Aquarists at EPCOT's The Seas with Nemo & Friends are rehabilitating 14 rescued sea turtles as part of a broader conservation mission that also includes manatee rehabilitation, butterfly tagging, and other wildlife programs largely hidden from public view.

A Central Florida man was arrested after he shot a cat in the eye with a BB gun and killed it, according to the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office.

After sparking fears about a resurgence in Florida, the New World Screwworm has prompted an emergency rule in the Sunshine State, according to the FDACS.

Tech giant Google is seeking government approval to release 32 million mosquitoes into Florida, according to CBS News.

A College Park woman says coyotes have killed her feral cats and cost her thousands of dollars in prevention efforts — but wildlife officials say relocation isn't an option.

Edgewater police and city leaders are moving forward with a proposed ordinance aimed at regulating backyard chickens as more residents already keep hens at home.

Dogs and their owners took to the waves Sunday during the Hang 8 Dog Surfing Extravaganza, a beachside event that combined surfing, community engagement and fundraising for local animal welfare organizations.

The dog owner who was arrested a week after her loose dogs killed a woman, according to the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office, won’t be able to leave jail.

After a woman died from dog bites in Brevard County last week, the sheriff has announced that the dogs’ owner has been arrested.

Video submitted by a News 6 viewer shows the monkey wandering through an open field not far from Wekiva Springs State Park.

Florida state law allows for residents to keep a variety of strange animals as pets, though there are more than a few hoops to jump through, depending on what type of critter you want to take home.

A Sanford family is demanding accountability — and action from the city — after a 12-year-old rescue dog was attacked at a local dog park, leaving a 91-year-old woman and her beloved pet traumatized.

The Central Florida Zoo is extending the quarantine period for the rescued sloths connected to Sloth World as the animals continue recovering from the conditions they arrived in one month ago.

Walk into SeaWorld Florida’s Coral Rescue Center, and the first thing you notice is the light - a deep, oceanic blue that washes over rows of tanks filled with some of the rarest coral on Earth.

A deadly dog attack raises questions why two large dogs that neighbors say were always running loose weren’t taken away from the dog owner sooner.

A pair of dogs was found tied to a dumpster at a rest stop in Central Florida, leading investigators to ask for help from the public, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

A Flagler County dog rescue says it has been inundated with 67 dogs — all stemming from a single animal neglect case.

The milestone was reached earlier this month when SeaWorld Rescue in San Diego saved an orphaned California sea lion pup found on the back stairs of a beach house.

Wild hogs have been spotted tearing up grass and frightening residents in an Osceola County neighborhood.

Central Florida Zoo officials say Mr. Ginger, one of the dozen or so sloths from Sloth World under the zoo’s care, has died. The zoo announced the youngest of the Sloth World sloths died despite round-the-clock efforts, including being hand-fed every few hours and spending time much of his time in an incubator to regulate his body temperature. Mr. Ginger was believed to be only four to six months old.

For those who can’t make it to the Sanford Welcome Center, the shirts are available for purchase online through the Sanford Main Street website.

Florida wildlife officials are stopping the importation of all sloths into the state in the wake of the deaths of dozens of sloths meant for an Orlando attraction.

On Tuesday, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed off on another two bills, adding to the list of over 80 laws approved so far this year.

A pregnant woman, a man and three dogs were rescued from the Ocala National Forest last week, according to the Marion County Sheriff’s Office.

Joey Manna travels to a Gainesville-area state park to photograph Florida’s gopher tortoise and meets Katherine Saylor of Defenders of Wildlife, who explains why this keystone species—and the fire-dependent, high-and-dry habitat it relies on—is disappearing fast. The search reveals a surprising truth: gopher tortoises (and the conservation choices that protect them) aren’t just “out there” in the wilderness—they’re often right in our own neighborhoods

State Rep. Anna Eskamani said the agency has agreed to pursue rulemaking changes before the end of the year.

The city of Orlando will begin rehoming its resident Lake Eola swans as the city prepares for a massive renovation plan around the lake. The deaths of dozens of swans and other birds from avian influenza earlier this year also influenced the decision.

Researchers have revealed exactly what’s responsible for the vast majority of alligator attacks.

A Lake County woman was arrested after Lake County detectives found 31 emaciated cows on a property in Tavares. According to a probable cause affidavit, 31 zebu-style cattle were found in “extremely poor body condition, with prominent ribs, spine, and pelvic bones clearly visible, consistent with severe emaciation.”

Over the past couple of years, experts have noticed a heavy decrease in lovebugs across Central Florida. But that trend seems to have reversed this season.

Tucked away in southwest Florida, visitors can find a prehistoric warm spring — the only one of its kind in the state.

Joined by Orange County commissioners and sloth conservation experts who traveled from Costa Rica, Eskamani spoke outside the shuttered Sloth World facility on International Drive.

Despite initial belief that no crime occurred, the family is urging investigators to revisit the case as weeks have passed without information.

Newly obtained records by Orange County Community Correspondent, Jayna Manohalal, show another 21 sloths died while under the care of Sloth World, bringing the total number of known sloth deaths connected to the facility to 55.