Man arrested in cruel killing of black bear
August 25th, 2006 by admin
In June, a black bear was found dead in Putnam County. X-rays revealed that the bear had been shot several times with a .22 cailber rifle. A University of Florida biologist said, “That poor bear suffered greatly, and took nearly a week to die.” An anonymous tip lead to the arrest of Ralph Paul Jr., of Palatka, on charges of killing a threatened species and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony. The bear was the first one seen inside Palatka’s city limits in seven years.
If you witness Illegal hunting or fishing, killing or capturing of protected wildlife in Florida, please contact The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Call the Wildlife Alert hotline at (888) 404-3922, or report a crime online at http://myfwc.com/law/Alert/ (You may be eligible for rewards up to $1,000 if the information leads to an arrest.)
Sources: The News-Press, Palatka Daily News.