Bear shot and killed after escaping exhibit in Florida, zoo says. ‘Profoundly painful’
A black bear was shot to death after escaping a zoo enclosure in Florida, officials said.
The bear got out of its exhibit and “engaged with a zookeeper behind the scenes,” prompting an emergency response, according to the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens.
“Our highest priority is always the safety of human lives, therefore, the bear was shot and killed,” the zoo wrote in a Facebook post.
Officials said an investigation is underway after the escape was reported at about 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 21. The bear had been in an enclosure surrounded by metal fencing, WJAX reported.
The animal was identified in news reports as a bear that had been at the zoo for about five years.
“We do not take this lightly,” the zoo wrote. “It is profoundly painful when we have a loss of an animal, especially under circumstances such as this.”
The zookeeper was taken to a hospital with injuries believed to be non-life-threatening, WJXT reported. Officials said the bear was shot in an attempt to save the zookeeper.
“In these types of situations, be it in a zoo or in the wild, this is standard operating procedure when it comes to protecting the safety of humans,” a zoo spokesperson told WTLV. “So of course with a bear of that size, the first thing is that we’re protecting a human’s life.”
Black bears can weigh up to 500 pounds and grow to more than 5 feet long, according to the zoo.
Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens didn’t immediately share additional information with McClatchy News on Dec. 22.
This story was originally published December 22, 2022 at 7:17 AM with the headline "Bear shot and killed after escaping exhibit in Florida, zoo says. ‘Profoundly painful’."
