THE DAILY WIRE · FLORIDA · 2026-08-31
Naples Zoo Learns Bears Don't Need Tickets to Get In
A young black bear let itself into the Naples Zoo in Florida, an unscheduled arrival that prompted staff to evacuate visitors while the animal was dealt with.
Per the report, the bear breached the property and visitors were moved out as a precaution. The material reviewed did not detail how the bear entered zoo grounds or what ultimately became of it, though Webster assumes it did not purchase a membership on the way in.
There is a certain irony, Webster notes, in a zoo — an institution built entirely around the premise of keeping wild animals in — briefly hosting one that showed up entirely of its own accord and uninvited.
This reporter tracked down Bubba, a gator who monitors a canal not far from zoo grounds, for a regional perspective on the incident. His read on the situation leaned heavily on real estate grievances predating this reporter's tenure.
The evacuation was orderly, the bear's opinion of the exhibit layout remains unrecorded, and Naples Zoo now has a very Florida footnote in its visitor-safety files.
“Y'all built that zoo right in bear country and act surprised. I've been saying for years, if it's got a fence and a snack bar, something's coming for it — that's just swamp economics.” — Bubba, local gator
Open this column on the Daily Wire →
Zoos News — Real News. Real Animals. The stories are real; the columnist has eight eyes. Home · Wire archive