Wild black bear blamed for deaths of 2 white-tailed deer at zoo in western North Carolina

ASHEVILLE, N.C. (WTVD) -- Two white-tailed deer were found dead at a North Carolina nature center.

The city of Asheville said Becca and Curly, two white-tailed deer, were found early Monday morning at the WNC Nature Center.

An email from the city of Asheville said it appears a wild black bear got into their exhibit and either directly or indirectly caused their passing.

"This was an unfortunate accident that has never before occurred within our animal collection," Nature Center Director Chris Gentile said in the email. "While it's a rare occurrence for something like this to happen, our Animal Care and Maintenance Teams have taken additional measures to dissuade and deter wild animals from entering our animal exhibits."

Becca was born in the summer of 2013 and was brought to the Nature Center as a fawn because she was too young to survive on her own.

In 2017, she gained celebrity after starring in the Oscar-winning movie "Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri," where she was trained by Nature Center staff to stand in front of a bluescreen. That footage was edited into the final production with her co-star, Frances McDormand.

In the summer of 2020, Curly joined Becca at the WNC Nature Center. He was born in 2012 and was kept illegally as a pet when he was a young fawn, so he was imprinted on humans.

Both of the white-tailed deer at the Nature Center were gentle, curious, and loved by guests and staff, the center said.

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