A pair of Alaska-native cubs were found wandering a back road in Florida, sparking an investigation into why the animals were more than 3,600 miles from home.
Authorities were called to the scene in Okaloosa Country in December by a man who found the cubs without their mother insight.
However, a closer look at the size and color revealed the animals were not native to the Sunshine State.
Officers have just now released the video after they determined the cubs had escaped from a local house and the owner is now facing a list of violations.
A pair of Alaska-native cubs were found wondering a back road in Florida , sparking an investigation into why the animals were more than 3,600 miles from home
Okaloosa County is located in the Florida Panhandle, which is home to black bears.
While most people may not know the difference, black bears and Kodiak bears look very different.
Kodiak bears are much larger, weighing up to 1,500 pounds while black bears are up to 600 pounds.
The Alaska-native animal is typically brown in color, while black bears can be found with brown, cinnamon and black fur.
The body camera footage starts with two officers getting out of their vehicle to meet a resident who made the call.
Authorities were called to the scene in Okaloosa Country in December by a man who found the cubs without their mother insight. However, a closer look at the size and color revealed the animals were not native to the Sunshine State
The two cubs were roaming in the middle of the street as officers flashed lights on the road.
‘They want food or something,’ the civilian told officers. ‘They are clearly domesticated.’
The footage shows the man petting the cubs – and the animals also tried to jump inside the patrol vehicle parked on the side of the road.
‘I believe they’re brown,’ said the man as he gave the cubs some food.
‘They are not black bears.’
Officers have just now released the video after they determined the cubs had escaped from a local house and the owner is now facing a list of violations
The officers speculated that the cubs could be grizzly or brown bears.
‘It’s like they’re not afraid of people. They’ll walk right up to people and let you pet them,’ an officer said to dispatch who responded: ‘The shenanigans at 3:30am.’
Wildlife officials were then called to the location to transport the cubs to a secure location while an investigation was conducted – and the team released the results last month.
‘It was determined the bears had escaped from an inadequate enclosure at a residence on Old River Road where a self-proclaimed bear trainer lives,’ Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office shared 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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