SEVIER COUNTY, Tenn. (WATE) — A wildlife-vehicle collision in Sevier County has resulted in the death of three bears. The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency said Thursday that a female bear and two cubs were struck and killed by a vehicle Wednesday night along Happy Hollow Road in the Wears Valley area.

The wild animals’ bodies were moved off the road by the Sevier County Sheriff’s Office since there were two other bear cubs that officers did not want to be struck while trying to get to the others. The two living bear cubs were moved out of the area. Wildlife officials said they should be fine on their own due to the crop of acorns this year before they go to a winter den.

The two bear cubs that were killed weighed about 50 pounds each.

TWRA did not have any further information about the bears nor the driver involved in the wildlife-vehicle collision (WVC).

TWRA officials have said in previous interviews with WATE 6 On Your Side that WVCs involving bears ramp up in the fall when the days get shorter and when the animals are foraging for acorns and other food sources before winter.

TWRA does not keep track of bear-vehicle collisions, but according to BearWise.org, the top five states for collisions with bears were California, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Minnesota and North Carolina.