Bear Becomes A Legend After Authorities Discover What His Last Meal Was
When authorities stumbled upon an unfortunate North American black bear that had met a grizzly end in the woods, they weren't expecting to uncover a larger conspiracy. After all, it was only pure coincidence — and a few bad decisions — that led the bear to a last meal unlike anything else in the animal kingdom.
Stuffed bear
Why do so many tourists come to visit a taxidermied bear that’s displayed at the Kentucky for Kentucky (KY for KY) Fun Mall? The Lexington-based company’s storeowners employed some great detective work to find their bear — and “Pablo” is now KY for KY’s official mascot. It's almost a miracle he's there at all.
Original purpose
He didn't seem so remarkable at first. The bear was stuffed and given to the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area in the 1980s after being discovered in the forest — dead. For years, he remained in the center’s visitor center. When a wildfire threatened the rec area, the staff evacuated themselves and the center’s valuables.
Down to Tennessee
Everything was safely stored in nearby Dalton, Tennessee. The bear and the rest of the goods sat in a storage unit for about a month until mysterious criminals stole the center’s artifacts and sold them to a pawn shop in Nashville. Some of the relics were recovered, but not the black bear.
Traveling cross-country
When the bear arrived, the pawn shop owner quickly contacted country music star Waylon Jennings. Waylon was a major taxidermy collector and bought the bear to add to his other figures. The black bear’s next owner was Ron Thompson, a trip-planner for millionaires visiting Las Vegas.
