SEBRING, Fla. – A Florida man is accused of fatally shooting a black bear and one of her cubs, officials said.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said in a news release sent Tuesday that the 43-year-old man shot the bears in the Sun ‘n Lake community in Sebring on Oct. 26.
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He faces four charges, wildlife officials said. The state attorney's office is prosecuting the case.
“Our officers work tirelessly to protect Florida’s natural resources and this egregious violation serves as a reminder of why our work is so important,” said Col. Roger Young. “The deliberate shooting of these two bears is unacceptable and will not be tolerated.”
Biologists with the agency were able to trap one uninjured bear cub in the community and release it in a more suitable habitat, officials said. They saw another cub in the area but were not able to capture it.