In the past decade, fatal dog attacks have also more than doubled, from an average of roughly 40 a year to nearly 100 after the pandemic hit, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The state’s wildlife agency will test the bears’ DNA to determine if any of them had attacked and killed an 89-year-old man.

The incident was reported in the area of State Road 29 and U.S. 41, just south of the Big Cypress Wildlife Management Area.