A pair of Alaska Native cubs were found wandering along a back road in Florida, sparking an investigation into why the animals were more than 3,600 miles from home.
Authorities were called to the scene in Okaloosa Country in December by a man who found the puppies without their mother knowing.
However, a closer look at the size and color revealed that the animals were not native to the Sunshine State.
Officers just released the video after determining that the puppies had escaped from a local home and that the owner is now facing a list of violations.
A pair of Alaska Native cubs were found wandering down a back road in Florida, sparking an investigation into why the animals were more than 3,600 miles from home.
Okaloosa County is located in the Florida Panhandle, home to black bears.
While most people may not know the difference, black bears and Kodiak bears look very different.
Kodiak bears are much larger, weighing up to 1,500 pounds, while black bears weigh up to 600 pounds.
The Alaska native animal is usually brown in color, while black bears can be found with brown, tan, and black fur.
The body camera footage begins with two officers exiting their vehicle to meet a resident who made the call.
Authorities were called to the scene in Okaloosa Country in December by a man who found the puppies without their mother knowing. However, a closer look at the size and color revealed that the animals were not native to the Sunshine State.
The two puppies wandered in the middle of the street while officers illuminated the road with lights.
“They want food or something,” the civilian told the officers. “They are clearly domesticated.”
The images show the man petting the puppies and the animals also tried to jump into the patrol car parked on the side of the road.
“I think they’re brown,” the man said as he gave the cubs some food.
“They’re not black bears.”
Officers just released the video after determining the puppies had escaped from a local home and the owner is now facing a list of violations.
Officers speculated the cubs could be brown or grizzly bears.
‘It’s like they’re not afraid of people. They’ll come up to people and let you pet them,” one officer told dispatch, who responded, “The shenanigans at 3:30 a.m.”
Wildlife officials were then called to the scene to transport the cubs to safety while an investigation was carried out, and the team published the results last month.
“It was determined that the bears had escaped from an inadequate enclosure at a residence on Old River Road where a self-proclaimed bear trainer lives,” the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office shared on Facebook.
‘The resident faces several Florida wildlife violations related to the findings of the FWC investigation.
“We opted not to share the video until their investigation was closed.”