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Bear spotted swimming in the Gulf of Mexico near Destin, Florida

On Sunday, June 11, 2023, a black bear was spotted swimming in the Gulf of Mexico near Silver Dunes condominium in Destin, Florida. In video compilation from several beachgoers today, you can see the small bear swimming in the Gulf of Mexico before making its way up the beach safely. As the crowd began to […]

On Sunday, June 11, 2023, a black bear was spotted swimming in the Gulf of Mexico near Silver Dunes condominium in Destin, Florida.

In video compilation from several beachgoers today, you can see the small bear swimming in the Gulf of Mexico before making its way up the beach safely. As the crowd began to form, the bear quickly made its way through a line of beach chairs heading for the dunes.

  • At the time of this writing, there have been no reports of where the bear originated from or where it went after leaving the beach.

Footage captured by Jennifer Smith, Jan Graham, Steffani Saddler, and multiple beachgoers.

15 Responses

  1. Hope it didn’t run on 98 no chance it survived. Poor baby. That’s what all the over building is doing running native animals out of their homes

  2. Omg..I LOVE IT! HE was hot ànd just wanted a little swim swim! Aahhhh sweet fella! That is crazy and so cute at the same time! However it does make me sad to think that they are being forced out of where they live( ya know that we need more houses and malls ,the wild life be damned!sad!

  3. Sad. This is going to happen more often than not. Their homes are being destroyed do to overpopulated human growth. Developers destroying every shred of woods . People seem to forget for every land cleared an animal loses their home. Bears , deer , turtles , birds , armadillos, possums, wild hogs , foxes the list goes on. Share the land with other living souls.

  4. It looks very thin adolescent and desperate to get out where all the people are. Poor baby I feel so sorry for the wildlife like we needa clear more land for greedy A-holes. I pray it makes it somewhere safe and that it prospers

    1. There wasn’t a lot to go off for the story. At the moment, all we have is video footage of the bear until we hear back from FWC.

  5. There’s a bear in Grayton that loves to raid the trash cans. He’s about six feet tall when he stands on his hind legs.

  6. Everyday more and more building tearing down every last patch of trees left they are being forced out of their homes with no where to go! Sad really❤️

  7. If the bear originated where it landed..someone would have seen it enter the water. I say the bear was distressed and lucky to have made it to the beach. Hopefull FWC can figure it out. He could have been “bear paddling” for hours….hope he gets help if he/she needs it…..really strange.

  8. Funny, but unfortunately, lots of wildlife are losing their natural habitats in the state of Florida. Hopefully, the bear made it to a wooded area that might be safe for it to stay but with the high temps he or she may be back in the water & on the beach another day.

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Community Comments

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“Highschool is finna be more crowed now. We need another highschool not a middle or elementary school.”
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“I agree with Jerome. What will this accomplish since both ends are only 4 lanes?”
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“The parking lot at McGuires would disappear along with the parcel that Destin purchased at the bridge.. Flooding on Okaloosa Island would close an expensive update to 98 , at...”
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“This will not make a difference for traffic passing through the center of Destin along Rt. 98. The smart option is to complete the Brooks Bridge and intersection in Ft...”
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“Doesn’t it still end up with 4 lanes on either end after bridges? Seems more aesthetic than a traffic plan. Which is nice too but does it increase the function?”
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“It would be a money pit let’s sink it for the tourists who we don’t have enough of so more will come”
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“Traffic moves pretty well on that stretch of 98, I don't see the need to waste the money. Maybe do something to deal with the traffic in Destin, and Mary...”
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