‘Scary.’ 450-pound bear found dead along highway, rattling North Carolina community

kAm%96 42C42DD H2D 5:D4@G6C65 (65?6D52J[ |2C49 `d[ 2=@?8 }]r] w:89H2J `b`[ 2?5 E96 }@CE9 r2C@=:?2 (:=5=:76 #6D@FC46D r@>>:DD:@?D 6DE:>2E6D :E H6:8965 cd_ A@F?5D]k^Am

kAm%92E’D 23@FE `__ A@F?5D =2C86C E92? 2G6C286 7@C 3=24< 362CD :? 62DE6C? }@CE9 r2C@=:?2[ 244@C5:?8 E@ r@==66? ~=76?3FEE6=[ 2 46CE:7:65 3=24< 362C 2?5 7FC362C6C 3:@=@8:DE H:E9 E96 4@>>:DD:@?] q=256?3@C@ :D 23@FE `__ >:=6D D@FE9 @7 #2=6:89]k^Am

kAm“xE H2D :?G@=G65 :? 2? 244:56?E ?@CE9 @7 q=256?3@C@ 2C@F?5 aib_ 2]>] @? |2C49 `d[” ~=76?3FEE6= E@=5 |4r=2E49J }6HD]k^Am

kAm“q2D65 @77 E96 4@?5:E:@? @7 2?:>2=[ :E H2D 2 AC6EEJ BF:4< 562E9]”k^Am

kAm!6CCJ y24@3D @7 (9:E6G:==6 C6A@CE65 @? D@4:2= >65:2 96 H2D E96 5C:G6C :?G@=G65 :? E96 :?4:56?E] w6 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]72463@@<]4@>^A9@E@]A9An73:5laceheefchba_`b_cU2>AjD6ElA]aceheefchba_`b_cU2>AjEJA6lbQ C6=lQu@==@HQ E2C86ElQ03=2?<QmD92C65 A9@E@Dk^2m D9@H:?8 9:D $&' DFDE2:?65 6?@F89 52>286 E@ 36 4@?D:56C65 2 E@E2= =@DD]k^Am

kAm“|J w@?52 !:=@E H2D E96 G:4E:>] xE H2D 2 C@F89 C:56 9@>6 3FE E92?<7F==J x >256 :E] %96 E:C6 H2D H@33=:?8[” 96 D2:5]k^Am

kAm“k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]72463@@<]4@>^;@9?]:?>2?]fd_d^A@DED^A73:5_+C(!$}wsr{pf?ct|6t@{"p|Hv<G'pt:{B2#ud?@9zh%yAd'wv`GG6b&a7%JhG}H(=n4@>>6?E0:5lfgabbhdbegcbadcU2>AjC6A=J04@>>6?E0:5l`c`_aece_ecegedgQ C6=lQu@==@HQ E2C86ElQ03=2?<Qm%96 362C H2D CF??:?8k^2m 24C@DD D@>6@?6’D J2C5 C62= 72DE] x D=2>>65 @? >J 3C2<6D[ 3FE :E H2D E@@ =2E6] w6 H2D CF??:?8 7C@> D@>6E9:?8[ AC@323=J 5@8D] x 5:5?’E H2?E E@ 86E @FE[ 42FD6 x E9@F89E 96 H2D DE:== 2=:G6] x E9@F89E 96 H2D ;FDE <?@4<65 @FE]”k^Am

kAm%96 :>A24E =67E y24@3D H:E9 D@C6?6DD :? 9:D ?64<[ D9@F=56C 2?5 =67E 92?5[ 96 D2JD]k^Am

kAm{2H 6?7@C46>6?E C6DA@?565 E@ E96 D46?6[ 96 25565[ 2?5 E96J 4=62?65 FA 4C2D9 563C:D 7C@> E96 C@25]k^Am

kAm!9@E@D @7 E96 362C 92G6 366? H:56=J D92C65 @? u2463@@<[ H:E9 D@>6 42==:?8 E96 :?4:56?E k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]72463@@<]4@>^;@9?]:?>2?]fd_d^A@DED^A73:5_+C(!$}wsr{pf?ct|6t@{"p|Hv<G'pt:{B2#ud?@9zh%yAd'wv`GG6b&a7%JhG}H(=n4@>>6?E0:5lfgabbhdbegcbadcU2>AjC6A=J04@>>6?E0:5lacagc`f`cgbdgg`Q C6=lQu@==@HQ E2C86ElQ03=2?<Qm“D42CJ”k^2m 2?5 2 H2<6\FA 42== 7@C A2C6?ED E@ 4=@D6=J k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]72463@@<]4@>^;@9?]:?>2?]fd_d^A@DED^A73:5_+C(!$}wsr{pf?ct|6t@{"p|Hv<G'pt:{B2#ud?@9zh%yAd'wv`GG6b&a7%JhG}H(=n4@>>6?E0:5lfgabbhdbegcbadcU2>AjC6A=J04@>>6?E0:5lhagf__gf`ch_efbQ C6=lQu@==@HQ E2C86ElQ03=2?<QmH2E49 E96:C 49:=5C6?k^2m — 6G6? :? E96 324<J2C5]k^Am

kAm~?6 4@>>6?E6C DF886DE65 2 s}p E6DE :D ?66565 E@ >2<6 DFC6 :E H2D?’E C6=2E65 E@ E96 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^?@CE942C@=:?289@DED]4@>^A:65>@?E^362DE\3=256?3@C@^Q C6=lQu@==@HQ E2C86ElQ03=2?<Qm>JDE6C:@FDk^2m 4C62EFC6 <?@H? 2D k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]72463@@<]4@>^;@9?]:?>2?]fd_d^A@DED^A73:5_+C(!$}wsr{pf?ct|6t@{"p|Hv<G'pt:{B2#ud?@9zh%yAd'wv`GG6b&a7%JhG}H(=n4@>>6?E0:5lggehc_d`addhagdQ C6=lQu@==@HQ E2C86ElQ03=2?<Qm“q62DE @7 q=256?3@C@]”k^2mk^Am

kAm“x H@F=5?’E H2?E E@ CF? :?E@ 9:> :? E96 H@@5DP” k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]72463@@<]4@>^;@9?]:?>2?]fd_d^A@DED^A73:5_+C(!$}wsr{pf?ct|6t@{"p|Hv<G'pt:{B2#ud?@9zh%yAd'wv`GG6b&a7%JhG}H(=n4@>>6?E0:5l`dagfdefhfe`ahe`Q C6=lQu@==@HQ E2C86ElQ03=2?<Qms:2?6 w:?D@?k^2m HC@E6 @? u2463@@<]k^Am

kAm“s@?’E <?@H H9@ H2D E96 ‘32556DE’i %96 362C @C E96 G69:4=6 E92E 24EF2==J H2D 23=6 E@ 5C:G6 2H2J 27E6C E96 EH@ 4@==:565P” k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]72463@@<]4@>^;@9?]:?>2?]fd_d^A@DED^A73:5_a5EfeGq&>Dh}+y<qC+`s*#st6J'zE(E{u(r}CaB!uG$B3(GG$FI3$4:5:JGBdz(a6=Q C6=lQu@==@HQ E2C86ElQ03=2?<Qmy@9? x?>2?k^2m A@DE65[ D92C:?8 2 A9@E@ @7 9:>D6=7 36D:56 E96 362C]k^Am

kAmt2DE6C? }@CE9 r2C@=:?2 :D 9@>6 E@ E96 =2C86DE 3=24< 362C A@AF=2E:@? 2=@?8 E96 t2DE r@2DE — 6DE:>2E65 2E `b[___ 362CD — 2?5 E96J 8C@H =2C86C E92? 362CD :? E96 DE2E6’D H6DE6C? >@F?E2:?D[ ~=76?3FEE6= D2JD] x? 724E[ E96 H@C=5 C64@C5 7@C 2 3=24< 362C[ gg_ A@F?5D[ H2D C64@C565 :? 62DE6C? }@CE9 r2C@=:?2’D rC2G6? r@F?EJ :? `hhg[ D96 D2JD]k^Am

kAm“pG6C286” D:K6 7@C >2=6 362CD 2=@?8 E96 }@CE9 r2C@=:?2 4@2DE :D ba_ E@ bd_ A@F?5D[ H9:=6 2G6C286 7@C >2=6D :? E96 >@F?E2:?D :D aa_ E@ ab_ A@F?5D[ ~=76?3FEE6= D2JD] %96 >@F?E2:? A@AF=2E:@? :D 2=D@ D>2==6C[ 2E 2? 6DE:>2E65 g[___ 362CD]k^Am

kAm%96 5:776C6?46 :? D:K6 :D 5F6 E@ >:=56C H62E96C 2=@?8 E96 4@2DE 2?5 2? 23F?52?46 @7 ?2EFC2= 7@@5D 2?5 6BF2==J E2DEJ 28C:4F=EFC2= 4C@AD =:<6 4@C? 2?5 A62?FED[ D96 D2JD]k^Am

kAmt2DE6C? q=256? r@F?EJ 92D =@?8 925 2 A@AF=2E:@? @7 362CD[ D@>6 H6:89:?8 >@C6 E92? e__ A@F?5D[ 2?5 E96 A@AF=2E:@? :D ?@H 6IA2?5:?8 :? 2== 5:C64E:@?D[ ~=76?3FEE6= D2JD]k^Am

kAm%96 4C2D9 H:E9 E96 =2C86C\E92?\2G6C286 362C 42>6 2E 2 E:>6 H96? 362C 4@==:D:@?D 2C6?’E 6IA64E65[ D96 D2:5]k^Am

kAm“(:E9 3=24< 362CD[ E96 A62< :? G69:4=6 4@==:D:@?D :D :? E96 72==] (6 2=D@ D66 2 A62< 7@C >2=6 362CD :? |2J 2?5 yF?6[ H9:49 :D 3C665:?8 D62D@? 2?5 E96J 2C6 >@G:?8 2C@F?5 7@C 76>2=6D[” D96 D2:5]k^Am

kAm%96 4@==:D:@? D6?5D 2 >6DD286 E92E A6@A=6 :? E96 2C62 ?665 E@ 36 42FE:@FD H9:=6 5C:G:?8[ A2CE:4F=2C=J 2E ?:89E[ ~=76?3FEE6= D2JD]k^Am

kAmk2 9C67lQ9EEAi^^q62CH:D6]@C8Qmq62CH:D6]@C8k^2m @776CD E96 7@==@H:?8 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^362CH:D6]@C8^362C\D276EJ\E:AD^G242E:@?\C6?E2=D\362CD^Q C6=lQu@==@HQ E2C86ElQ03=2?<QmE:AD 7@C 5C:G:?8 :? 362C 4@F?ECJik^2mk^Am

kF=mk=:m“$E2J 2=6CE[ DE:4< E@ E96 DA665 =:>:E 2?5 D42? E96 C@25D:56D] x7 2 362C 4C@DD6D E96 C@25[ H2E49 7@C 4F3D 367@C6 J@F 5C:G6 @?]k^=:mk=:mq6 6DA64:2==J 2=6CE 2E 52H? 2?5 5FD< H96? 362CD 2C6 >@DE 24E:G6j 3=24< 362CD 2C6 72DE 2?5 92C5 E@ D66]k^=:mk=:mx7 J@F 9:E 2 362C[ 5@?’E ECJ E@ 96=A :E] r2== h`` @C C6A@CE E@ 2FE9@C:E:6D 2D D@@? 2D J@F 42?]”k^=:mk=:mx7 J@F D66 2 5625 362C :? }@CE9 r2C@=:?2[ 42== E96 DE2E6 (:=5=:76 #6D@FC46D r@>>:DD:@? 2E gee b`g ac_` 2?5 C6A@CE E96 =@42E:@? D@ DE2E6 3:@=@8:DED 42? 4@==64E 52E2 7C@> E96 2?:>2=]k^=:mk^F=m