Florida

Kodiak bear cubs were found in Florida, thousands of miles away from their native home: ‘Climbing on my car’

Published

10 months ago

February 2, 2024

Kodiak bear cubs were found in Florida, thousands of miles away from their native home: ‘Climbing on my car’

PENSACOLA, Fla. — Two Kodiak bear cubs, a unique subspecies of the brown bear, were found in a rural area of the Florida Panhandle thousands of miles away from their native home, authorities said.

The Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office shared a video on social media Wednesday of their encounter with the friendly cubs, who appeared to try and play with a responding deputy. Around 3:30 a.m. on Dec. 5, 2023, the sheriff’s office received a call from a man who had spotted the pair of cubs and said: “they didn’t appear to be our common Northwest Florida black bears.”

The cubs had been roaming around on a road in a rural area in north Okaloosa County, about 50 miles northeast of Pensacola and over 160 miles west of Tallahassee, Florida. The responding deputy’s body-camera footage showed the cubs playfully following the man who reported them and the deputy along with trying to climb into her patrol vehicle.

“They’re climbing on my car,” the deputy says in the video. “…It’s like they’re not afraid of people cause they’ll walk right up to you and they’ll let you pet them. They’re very curious.”

The sheriff’s office said it held off on sharing the video until after the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) wrapped up its investigation into the bears’ origins.

The FWC later determined the bears were Kodiak bears, a subspecies of the brown bear native to Alaska. Sometimes referred to as the Alaskan brown bear, they can grow up to 1,500 pounds, three times the size of Florida’s native black bears.

Kodiak bears belonged to a ‘self-proclaimed bear trainer’

The cubs were transferred to a “secure location for safekeeping,” while the FWC conducted its investigation, the sheriff’s office said. It was determined that the bears had escaped from an enclosure at a residence in the area where a “self-proclaimed bear trainer” lives.

The resident faces various state wildlife violations, according to the sheriff’s department.

The Miami Herald reported that the resident operates a “game farm,” according to a FWC affidavit. He told authorities that the bears belonged to someone else but he acquired them last February, according to the newspaper.

Kodiak bears are the largest bears in the world

Kodiak bears are considered the largest bears in the world, according to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G). A large male can stand over 10 feet tall on its hind legs and 5 feet tall when standing on all fours.

The subspecies are native exclusively to the islands in the Kodiak Archipelago and have been isolated from other bears for about 12,000 years, the ADF&G said. There are about 3,500 Kodiak bears.

Does Florida have bears?

Black bears are the only species of bear native to Florida, according to the FWC.

There are about 4,000 bears statewide and they typically can be found roaming forests and swamps from the Panhandle down to the Big Cypress National Preserve in Southwest Florida.

Keeping wild, exotic animals

Many states struggle with issues related to exotic or wild animals, such as the spread of diseases to people and native animals, and animals that escape and compete with native species, according to the ADF&G.

But in almost every case, according to the National Wildlife Rehabilitators Association, keeping a wild animal is illegal. Wildlife species are protected by state and federal laws, and at least one special permit is required to keep a wild animal in captivity.

Most cities and counties have local ordinances that prevent people from keeping wild animals in captivity, according to the association.

Tips for bear encounters

The National Park Service advised people to remember that bears are wild and can be dangerous.

“Their behavior is sometimes unpredictable. Although rare, attacks on humans have occurred, inflicting serious injuries and death,” according to the agency.

Here’s what to do if you encounter a bear:

Identify yourself by speaking to the bear in a calm, assertive voice
Stand upright and remain still but slowly wave your arms
Slowly back up to a secure location, leaving the bear a clear escape route
Avoid direct eye contact as this could be perceived as aggressive behavior
Stop and hold your ground if the movement irritates instead of calms the bear
Do not make any sudden or abrupt movements
Do not run, this can trigger a chase instinct
Do not climb a tree; they can climb faster than you
Do not approach or surprise a bear, especially if one might be injured

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Florida

How 80-year-old crosswording juror caused a mistrial in Florida Home depot murder case

Published

2 hours ago

November 22, 2024

Press Room

How 80-year-old crosswording juror caused a mistrial in Florida Home depot murder case

A Florida judge has granted the defense team’s motion for a mistrial in the Home Depot murder case because of an “unhinged juror.”

After more than five hours of deliberations earlier this week, an Escambia County judge called a mistrial for Shelia Agee, who is accused of helping her son kill the mother of his child at a Pensacola Home Depot store last year.

“A particular juror has not treated this case during the evidence with the seriousness that they should have, that has apparently continued during deliberations,” Judge Coleman Robinson told WKRG.

The problems reportedly began when juror Sallie Sue Smith was caught with a crossword puzzle during testimony, according to WEAR News 3.

MOTHER CHARGED AFTER ‘INCOMPREHENSIBLE’ TEXTS REVEAL SHE HELPED SON PLAN DEADLY FLORIDA SHOOTING: POLICE

Keith Agee, 20, and his mother, Sheila, were allegedly texting about his plans to kill Brooklyn Sims at The Home Depot in Pensacola. (Escambia County Sheriff’s Office)

On Tuesday, Smith was found working on a crossword puzzle during witness testimony. The next day, she was found using another crossword puzzle during deliberation.

Smith told WEAR News that the puzzle “helped her focus,” and denied any threatening behavior in the jury room.

“It was me,” Smith told WEAR News. “Well, I didn’t know it was a bad thing. I do that when I concentrate and I’m listening. You couldn’t see the bench or witness stand very well cause it was dark. But I could hear it… That’s just the way I do. I just do that and I had no idea and then when they told me I wasn’t supposed to do it, I stopped. And then, today, when I went into the jury room, I had another crossword puzzle.”

Other jurors also later shared concerns about their safety during deliberations with Judge Robinson.

GEORGIA SENATOR SEEKS DEATH PENALTY FOR LAKEN RILEY’S KILLER, CALLS ON ATTORNEY GENERAL TO STEP IN

Sheila Agee, 50, is facing charges in the shooting death of 18-year-old Brooklyn Sims after allegedly helping her son plan the attack. (Washington County Jail)

“It is just a single piece of paper with a crossword puzzle printed on one side and not sure what’s on the other side,” said Robinson. “…I cannot ever recall a juror doing a crossword puzzle during a trial.”

Judge Robinson later questioned each juror, calling them in, one by one, and asked if they felt safe to continue after concerns were relayed to him by security.

Nearly 20 witnesses took the stand, while it took prosecutors less than two days to rest their case against Agee. However, due to the jury’s issues, the trial was “hindered beyond repair.”

Smith didn’t say what her decision was on a verdict, but denied any threatening behavior to WEAR News.

“We retired to the jury room and started to deliberate,” Smith said. “It became obvious to me right away that I was in the minority of one versus 11 other people… At first, it started out reasonable. A lot of shouting, and I can shout, too.”

“I do have a loud voice, but I was being shouted down by a lot of people,” Smith added.

KILLER MOM SUSAN SMITH DENIED PAROLE 30 YEARS AFTER DROWNING SONS

Keith Agee, 20, is charged with homicide and aggravated battery in the shooting death of 18-year-old Brooklyn Sims. (Escambia County Jail)

Agee, 51, was charged with principal to first-degree premeditated murder after police discovered text messages allegedly showing her help plan the shooting death of the mother of her son’s child, 18-year-old Brooklyn Sims, who was also Sheila’s co-worker.

Her son, Keith Agee, 20, was arrested by the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office in connection with the deadly Aug. 11, 2023 shooting of Sims.

“According to text messages, it’s clear that Keith Agee’s mother, Sheila Agee, knew and participated in the plan to kill Brooklyn Sims. Additionally, text messages between mother and son highlight the mother’s involvement in helping locate the victim,” the ECSO previously wrote on Facebook.

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The department released the alleged text messages between the mother and son on its Facebook page, claiming they took place right before Sims was shot and killed.

“The murder itself is unbelievable, but to know the mother knew about it and helped coordinate it is incomprehensible,” Sheriff Chip Simmons said previously via Facebook.

The case is expected to be back in court on Feb. 5.

“Another jury will have to come back and listen to the evidence in front of another jury where hopefully, those certain members will follow common sense, will follow the law, will treat their fellow jurors with decency and appropriateness. And will reach a verdict, whatever that may be, that is a fair and just verdict for both sides,” Robinson said.

Fox News Digital’s Elizabeth Pritchett contributed to this report.

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Florida

Snowcat Ridge returns with Florida’s winter wonderland for holiday season

Published

12 hours ago

November 21, 2024

Press Room

Snowcat Ridge returns with Florida’s winter wonderland for holiday season

DADE CITY, Fla. – Looking for a winter wonderland that isn’t too far from home? Snowcat Ridge in Dade City officially opens for the season on Friday.

Despite the state’s tropical landscape, Snowcat Ridge brings a unique alpine snow park and gives visitors a chance to experience snow and winter activities without leaving Florida.

The park’s centerpiece is a massive 60-foot-tall snow tubing hill with runs extending up to 400 feet, where families can zoom down on tubes while surrounded by snow.

READ: Top destinations people dream of traveling to for the holidays

“So this year, what we really wanted to do was focus on what people said they enjoy most—the Christmas aspects of the park. So I said, ‘okay, let’s really do the Christmas thing,’” said Winston McDaniel with Snowcat Ridge.

Guests can also build snowmen, create snow angels and engage in snowball play inside the park’s 10,000-square-foot Arctic Igloo. The facility also has cutting edge snow-making technology to maintain snowy conditions.

There’s also a cozy lodge for guests to grab hot chocolate and winter treats.

“It’s just about really doubling down on what it means to spend family time here at Christmas,” said McDaniel.

MORE: After 112 years, ‘Operation Santa’ still accepting letters

In the evening, the slopes at Snowcat Ridge transform into a colorful LED light display, illuminating the snow and creating an unforgettable atmosphere for guests.

For more information on the park and its hours of operation, visit snowcatridge.com.

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