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'Friendly' bear shot twice in North Florida

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The Associated Press

Published: November 11, 2009

CARRABELLE - Florida wildlife officials say a bear found in a North Florida woman's yard had been shot.

Carrabelle resident Andrea Mathis discovered the injured bear Sunday morning. She says she recognized the animal, which had previously been eating grapes in her yard. She called it "a real friendly bear."

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission thinks the bear was shot this weekend. It was tranquilized and examined by wildlife officials, who discovered two bullet wounds.

It is illegal to shoot bears in Florida. The species is considered threatened in all but one of the state's counties.

The bear was released into the Apalachicola National Forest on Monday.

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