Workers trap ‘tired’ bear that wandered onto construction site, FL officials say

A black bear made itself at home at a Florida construction site, and was discovered taking a nap on the cool concrete after a swim at the beach, officials say.

Officers responded to an under-construction condo building on Friday, May 30, where the bear was found resting, the Naples Police Department said in a Facebook post, sharing a photo of the animal.

“He took a swim in the Gulf earlier and obviously tired himself out!” the department said.

Video taken earlier that day at a nearby beach shows police weren’t kidding — as the bear can be seen soaking in the shallow surf, lazily paddling about and letting waves run across its back.

“This big guy in Naples was spotted going for a dip on Friday to cool off in the Park Shore community. Only in Florida!” WINK meteorologist Matt Devitt said in a post sharing the video.

Police said the bear was captured “without incident” by Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officials.

Wildlife officials say quick thinking by construction workers helped lead to the bear’s capture.

“The approximately 300-pound male bear had been closed into and secured within the first-floor construction zone by construction workers that observed the bear walk in,” the FWC told McClatchy News in an email. “An FWC biologist safely captured the bear for relocation by darting it with chemical immobilization drugs and the bear will be assessed by FWC veterinary staff before it is released into a more suitable area.”

FWC data show Naples is in an area designated as having a “frequent” bear presence since 2020. Wildlife officials estimate there are about 4,050 bears within the state.

This story was originally published June 1, 2025 at 12:14 PM with the headline "Workers trap ‘tired’ bear that wandered onto construction site, FL officials say."