The adult black bear was shot July 11 by the owner of an alpaca that the bear had killed beyond mile 12 of Eagle River Road, said state wildlife biologist Rick Sinnott.

The grizzly, a young sow, was hit by a vehicle near mile 10.5 early Friday, Sinnott said.

Chugach State Park Ranger Tom Crockett said a passerby notified him at about 8 a.m. that a possibly injured brown bear was lying just off the road. Crockett said he and an Alaska Fish and Wildlife Trooper found the bear mortally wounded. Crockett shot it to end its suffering, but the bear evidently wasn't ready to be put down.

"She took off and ran 100 yards," Crockett said. "We followed the blood trail."

Crockett said the trooper shot it again, this time killing it.

Sinnott said the bear-vehicle collision was a hit-and-run. He said it's unlawful for a motorist to not report a collision with a big-game animal.

The mortal wound was a deep slice into the bear's stomach, exposing its intestines, he said.

"My guess is the license plate or some other sharp part of the car sliced its abdomen," Sinnott said.

The grizzly was likely the same bear that often could be seen grazing just a few yards from the road, ignoring camera-clicking motorsists, said Crockett and Sinnott.

They also speculate the dead bear might be the one locals call "Fluffy," a bold 3-year-old that has been entertaining - and frightening - hikers near the Eagle River Nature Center the past two summers.

Sinnott said the black bear that killed the alpaca - alpacas are cousins to llamas - was also likely a frequent visitor to the community at the end of Eagle River Road. He said the man who shot it acted appropriately: in defense of life or property.

"He had an electric fence around his pen, but the bear had gotten in and killed a $10,000 alpaca," Sinnott said.

The alpaca owner could not be reached for comment.

Several other bear encounters - mostly brown bear - have been reported this month from mile 5 of Eagle River Road to beyond the nature center, Sinnott said.

"I was called a few days ago by a fellow who lives near mile 11. He and his wife and neighbor said that in the course of a day they had seen six different brown bears from (mile 6 to 12). We don't seem to be getting more black bear calls, but we seem to be getting more calls on brown bears."

A bold young grizzly has been reported at least four times this month near the old Wallace Ranch along the upper reaches of Meadow Creek, Sinnott said.

"It's just a curious bear but curious to the point where it could be dangerous," he said. "It's running up to people. And when it's surprised at close range it just kind of stands there and looks at you. It doesn't run away. We're a little concerned about that one."

At least one other black bear - a small one with a tag in its ear - has been causing problems in the valley, said Brian Finch of mile 5. Finch said the bear intended to make a meal out of his domestic geese earlier this month.

"My geese were gone for three days," Finch said. He found them all in good health in a nearby yard, where a man had been taking care of them.

Sinnott said spawning salmon that are beginning to appear in the upper Eagle River will hopefully draw bears away from people's property.