A bear that became famous after it was tranquillised and fell from a tree at the University of Colorado died when it was hit by two cars after returning to town, likely looking for food.
A photograph captured an image of the 280-pound black bear in midair, its arms and legs spread, after it was tranquilised on April 26. It was relocated 80 kilometres away to the mountains and was struck on US Highway 36 - which connects Denver to Boulder - around dawn on Thursday.
The spot where the bear was killed was a little more than 3 kilometres from the university's campus. Both cars were towed from the scene and one driver was taken to the hospital with minor injuries, the Colorado State Patrol said.
Wildlife officials believe the unusually warm and dry climate in Colorado has left limited sources of natural food for bears, prompting them to wander into town.
