Black bear kills a man and dog near a south Florida nature preserve

JEROME, Fla. (AP) — Authorities were searching Monday for a black bear that killed a man and a dog in south Florida.

The attack occurred in a rural area east of Naples, just south of Big Cypress Wildlife Management Area, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said in a statement.

Wildlife officers warned that the animal could still be in the area on Monday, and they advised the public to be vigilant and avoid the area. Local law enforcement and wildlife officers were searching for the bear.

Authorities didn’t say when they think the attack occurred or release the name of the man who was killed.

Florida’s black bears, which were once threatened, have increasingly wandered into neighborhoods and private property in recent years, especially in more rural areas of north and central Florida.