ELIZABETH CITY, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina wildlife officials are trying to determine why the severed head of a black bear was left on the rooftop of a building in downtown Elizabeth City.

The Daily Advance of Elizabeth City reports a maintenance worker discovered the bear's head on top of the Kramer Building last Friday.

N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission spokesman Geoff Cantrell said two wildlife officers are investigating.

A picture of the bear's head was posted on social media and relayed to the newspaper, which also reported that the head was found under one of the building's air conditioning units.

Cantrell said the commission is also investigating a case in which a bear carcass was defaced with white paint and dumped along a roadside in Buncombe County. The carcass was found last June.

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Information from: The Daily Advance, www.dailyadvance.com