Sometime during the early morning on 6/9/24, while still dark, a bear, weighting about 200 pounds, was caught on a Blue Crab Key resident’s security camera. The bear was walking around the property and was sighted on the driveway. Second sighting was on 6/12/24, crossing Tortuga Street in Bokeelia sometime in the early morning after the sun had come up, and then exiting into the woods by Jug Creek Marina and Fish House in Bokeelia.

Of course the question is whether he is just visiting or moving his whole family to Pine Island. There is a rather large bear population in Collier County, many infiltrating from the Everglades. However, they must navigate some bay water to get to Pine Island. There is a relatively large population of coyotes and other large wildlife on Pine Island and their all hungry, so keep your pets under close watch.