Last year, as we were bored in the house and in the house bored, Bruno the Bear captured our attention. Bruno, the Black Bear, had ties to Wisconsin, but wandered off. He wandered through Eastern Iowa, down the border into Illinois and into Missouri, where he was captured. He captivated so much attention that he was all over social media. Groups of people would just stare at this meandering bear on an adventure. And today, we learned that he died. And I can't stop feeling supremely sad about it. For some reason, when we hear reports of lone bobcats and mountain lions, they seem to be able to fend for themselves and they're fast. I never worry about them. But a cumbersome bear just hits different. Lone bears may be a tad bit lost, but a tad bit out for an adventure and curious about the world. I can't help but find a bit of that bear inside me.
When Bruno was captured near Wentzville, Missouri, he was taken to the wilderness in Louisiana. A family called the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources to report a bear on their property that wouldn't leave. It was Bruno. He had been badly injured after being struck by a vehicle. His back legs and spine were broken. He was in pain and suffering. He was euthanized. Goodbye, Bruno. Thank you for helping us during a rough time.