BB-12, The Lone Black Bear Of The Santa Monica Mountains, Has Died

BB-12, a Black bear who was found living all by his lonesome in the Santa Monica Mountains for two years, has died. He was either 3 or 4 years old.

The bear met his untimely death Thursday when he was struck and killed by a motorist while trying to cross the 101 Freeway on his way back from his birthplace of the Santa Susana Mountains, officials said.

The failed attempt was BB-12's sixth. Officials said the young bear took frequent trips to the beaches in Malibu, and had crossed major roads and freeways multiple times, including potentially the 118 Freeway.

BB-12 was spotted in and around the Santa Monica Mountains for the last two years. In April, biologists working with the National Park Service finally managed to capture him and fit a radio collar onto his neck.

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BB-12 is the first black bear to be studied in the 20 years park biologists have been studying mountain lions.

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Courtesy NPS

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"Although there have been bear sightings over the years, this is the first time biologists have captured and radio-collared a bear in the Santa Monica Mountains," sicentists noted at the time.

That brought the first opportunity for park biologists to observe black bears after a close study of the region's mountain lions began more than 20 years ago.

But the death of BB-12 will also help scientists understand wildlife behaviors in the mountains.

"There will be research done on the carcass. There'll be some samples taken and he will likely go through a necropsy. For now, he's basically in a gigantic freezer," National Park Service's Ana Cholo told LAist.com.

Although unfortunate, NPS researchers said wildlife deaths from road kills are rather common.