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Motorcyclist, bear killed in collision on Marion County road
MARION COUNTY, Fla. โ A 42-year-old Ocala man and a bear were killed late Thursday in a motorcycle crash in Marion County, the Florida Highway Patrol said. The fatal wreck was reported at 11:02 p.m. on State Road 40 at State Road 19 near the Ocala National Forest. 40 when he struck the bear, which was in the westbound lane of the road. The bike overturned, ejecting the man, who was taken to a hospital and later died, according to an FHP report. AdThe bear also died, troopers said.
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WATCH: Bear taps manโs foot, interrupts pool-side nap
This was a wake-up call to remember for one guy in Massachusetts this weekend. Matt Bete was enjoying a little pool-side nap when a bear came walking up. The gate was left open, so it seems the bear thought it was the perfect time to see if the water was too hot, too cold or just right. Then he walks over to Bete, sniffs around a little and starts smelling his foot and nudges him awake. And then, you can see the bear slowly walks back toward Bete for one more quick peek before he runs off for good.
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Florida governor stiffens penalties against bear poaching
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. โ Black bears, once a threatened species in Florida, will get stiffened protections against poachers, some of whom see the animals resurgence as a growing nuisance. Ron DeSantis agreed to increase the penalties against illegal bear hunting to further deter hunters from killing the once-imperiled creatures. The black bear population dwindled to the low hundreds back in the 1970s, but has since come roaring back with more than 4,000 of the creatures now roaming the state. In fact, the penalties for killing turkey and deer out of season is currently more severe than killing a bear. The rise in the black bear population โ coupled with the rising numbers of humans in Florida โ have led to friction, as bears and people encroach on each otherโs turf.
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Bear camps out in tree above tiger enclosure in Apopka
APOPKA, Fla. โ A black bear that moseyed itself into an Apopka wildlife facility over the weekend has drawn a lot of attention. Workers at The C.A.R.E Foundation said they spotted the cub Saturday in a tree above a tiger enclosure. Has the bear come down yet?โ said Kevin Rose, a senior volunteer at the exotic animal rescue center. The bear canโt fall into the tiger enclosure, so weโve been told to just leave it be and eventually it will come down,โ Rose said. โTo be up a tree with a tiger underneath you probably isnโt the most calming effect, I guess,โ Rose said.