Bear found dead next to pancakes along road near Great Smoky Mountains. What happened?
A black bear was found dead near a platter of pancakes on a highway bordering the Great Smoky Mountains, rescuers said.
According to an Oct. 2 Facebook post by the Appalachian Bear Rescue, the bear was fatally struck by a car on the dangerous highway.
The organization said it received reports of the dead bear on Oct. 1. The bear was found on a highway going toward Townsend, Tennessee, about a 30-mile drive southeast of Knoxville.
When wildlife rescuers and police approached the scene, they found a plate of pancakes lying less than a foot away from the deceased bear, according to the rescue group.
Experts said they think the pancakes enticed the bear to get close to the road.
“With fall hyperphagia in full swing, the male bear probably saw the pancakes as an easy, high caloric meal,” ABR experts said. “Unfortunately, this meal was the last meal he would ever have.”
Hyperphagia is a term used to describe a period of overeating. According to the National Park Service, bears eat and drink almost nonstop during the fall months to prepare for hibernation in the winter months.
Experts reminded the public to be thoughtful when throwing away food and garbage as it could be dangerous for wildlife.
Several people responded on Facebook, upset that the bear’s death could have been prevented had it not been for the littering.
“Some people just have no regard for how their thoughtless actions affect others, including wildlife,” one person said. “This has been a very rough year for bears in Tennessee.”
This story was originally published October 3, 2024 at 5:38 PM with the headline "Bear found dead next to pancakes along road near Great Smoky Mountains. What happened?."
