Missouri Department of Conservation confirms bear struck and killed near Festus, Mo.,
FESTUS, Mo. (KY3) - The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) confirms a bear was struck and killed Tuesday night on I-55 near Festus.
The last confirmed sighting of the bear alive was made by Missouri state law enforcement officers at approximately 7 p.m. Tuesday. The MDC Jefferson County conservation agent received the initial report of the bear seen on the highway after the collision at 8:50 p.m. A vehicle struck the bear on northbound I-55 north of the Highway 67 intersection.
The bear displayed the reddish-tinted fur characteristic of the cinnamon phase of an American black bear, and MDC suspects the bear to be a two-three-year-old male, but due to the condition of the remains, the gender cannot be confirmed.
The bear is being brought to MDC’s Wildlife Health Veterinary Lab in Columbia for a complete necropsy and genetic sampling.
To report a correction or typo, please email digitalnews@ky3.com
Copyright 2023 KY3. All rights reserved.
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gray/72S7SGW52ZCFPOJDJNWN6INN54.png)
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gray/HPC5RIYQR5FZXAGO35CFAFB7SE.jpg)
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gray/7FQCW3LFLFCTXCA6CSVBCH5XAI.jpg)
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gray/KMHUA7NBE5GDXALRRYEWJWLS5U.jpg)
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gray/DIKZKVSP3JGZ5BK2TFPLYXCXA4.JPG)
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gray/ZXTJXPXAJFGPNIAWEV36XLJ4FE.png)
/do0bihdskp9dy.cloudfront.net/05-30-2023/t_fe74160c41de40918dd764b786dddddc_name_highs.png)
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gray/CERBCO52JBHWTEA44XHW2IXJKI.png)
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gray/2TURKXFPPRCMDODEPKNUKH5TYU.PNG)
/do0bihdskp9dy.cloudfront.net/05-30-2023/t_7b595ad0ca1845579a8ab864553b9df1_name_tshirt_steal.PNG)