Surprisingly, two bear cubs native to Alaska were discovered wandering along a back road in Florida, over 3,600 miles from their natural habitat.
This unexpected sighting prompted an investigation to unravel the mystery behind their presence in the Sunshine State.
The cubs were spotted in Okaloosa County in December by a concerned local who noticed their peculiar appearance and the absence of a mother bear.
Upon closer inspection, authorities realized that the cubs were not native to Florida.
Officers have now released video footage of the incident, revealing that the cubs had escaped from a local residence.
The owner, who had kept the bears in an inadequate enclosure, is now facing multiple wildlife violations. Okaloosa County, located in the Florida Panhandle, is typically home to black bears.
However, Kodiak bears, native to Alaska, are significantly larger, weighing up to 1,500 pounds, compared to black bears, which can weigh up to 600 pounds.
Additionally, Kodiak bears are generally brown, while black bears can have brown, cinnamon, or black fur.
The body camera footage begins with two officers arriving to meet the caller at the scene. The cubs were seen roaming the street, with officers illuminating the area with their vehicle’s lights.
The civilian remarked, “They want food or something. They are domesticated.” The footage captures the man petting the cubs and the animals attempting to jump into the patrol vehicle.
“I believe they’re brown,” the man noted, feeding the cubs. “They are not black bears.”
The officers speculated that the cubs could be grizzly or brown bears, commenting on their unusual tameness. “It’s like they’re not afraid of people.
They’ll walk right up to people and let you pet them,” an officer mentioned to dispatch, who replied humorously, “The shenanigans at 3:30 am.”
Wildlife officials were summoned to transport the cubs while an investigation was conducted safely.
Last month, the results were shared, confirming that the bears had escaped from a poorly secured enclosure at a residence on Old River Road, where a self-proclaimed bear trainer lived.
The Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office stated on Facebook, “The resident faces various Florida wildlife violations related to the findings of the FWC investigation.
We opted not to share the video until after their investigation was closed.”
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