TOWNSEND, Tenn. — A bear was fatally hit Tuesday while trying to eat pancakes left on the side of the road, according to Appalachian Bear Rescue.
The nonprofit said it received a report that the bear had been hit on Highway 321, near Townsend. It appeared to be an adult black bear but was left in a spot too dangerous for its workers to safely get to. It said the stretch of road was too steep and curvy for drivers to see, and so Townsend's police chief helped workers reach the bear, alerting oncoming drivers with flashing police lights.
The nonprofit was able to move the body out of the way of oncoming traffic and also learned that the bear had been a male. Since it was not a female bear, it was unlikely orphaned cubs were nearby. The nonprofit also said workers found the pancakes littered nearby and quickly learned it was trying to eat them.
"Not even a foot away from the deceased bear lay a platter of discarded pancakes. With fall hyperphagia in full swing, the male bear probably saw the pancakes as an easy, high caloric meal," the nonprofit said. "Unfortunately, this meal was the last meal he would ever have."
It told people on social media to follow the six BearWise steps, even if they are not renting a cabin in the woods. Those steps include securing food and garbage, which includes not littering.
"Discarding your unwanted food and trash in wild places is dangerous for not only bears but all other wildlife as well," the nonprofit said on social media.
