Black bear eating discarded pancakes struck and killed by car

TOWNSEND, Tenn. (Gray News) - A black bear was struck and killed by a car while eating pancakes left on the side of a highway in Tennessee.

The Appalachian Bear Rescue said they were notified on Tuesday of a black bear having been struck and killed on Highway 321 between Townsend and Maryville. The rescue said that visibility is low in the section of the highway because the road becomes steep and curvy.

Curators with the rescue went with the Townsend police chief to move the bear’s body and identify if it was male or female, since if it was a sow, there could be orphaned cubs nearby.

According to the rescue, curators determined the bear was an adult male and discovered what had drawn him so close to the highway.

GRAPHIC WARNING: The photo included in this story may be disturbing to some viewers.

A black bear was struck and killed by a car while eating pancakes left on the side of a... — A black bear was struck and killed by a car while eating pancakes left on the side of a highway in Tennessee.(Appalachian Bear Rescue via Facebook)

“Not even a foot away from the deceased bear lay a platter of discarded pancakes,” the rescue said in a Facebook post.

The rescue said the bear probably saw the pancakes as an easy opportunity to load up on calories before the winter season.

“Unfortunately, this meal was the last meal he would ever have,” the rescue said.

The Appalachian Bear Rescue advised against discarding and littering trash and unwanted food since it is harmful to bears and other wildlife in the area.

“We hope to use this message to urge the public to refrain from littering alongside our mountain roadways and hopefully save a future bear’s life in the process,” they said.