— A dead black bear was dumped early Tuesday on the central part of North Carolina State University's campus in Raleigh, campus police said.

A groundskeeper reported the bear to authorities at about 8 a.m. It was found outside Bostian Hall, not far from the Brickyard.

A spokesman for campus police said officials weren't sure how long the bear was on the bench before being discovered.

Authorities said they believe the 200-pound bear was killed elsewhere and moved to campus, although it was unclear how the bear was killed.

Officials with the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission removed the bear at about 9:15 a.m. The animal was taken to the Rollins Laboratory at the state Agriculture Department, where a necropsy will be performed Tuesday.

A witness told WRAL News that the bear's claws had been removed, but wildlife officials did not confirm that.

"That's something that will be determined through the investigation," said Brent Ward, an enforcement officer with the wildlife commission.

He said the fine for killing bears out of season is discretionary and up to the courts. The fine ranges from $500 to $10,000.

Ward said the courts also could order the culprits to pay the cost of replacing a black bear, which is a minimum of $2,230. Other possible charges could include animal cruelty or improper disposal.

Pictures of the bear were circulating on social media throughout the morning.

Graduate student Jesse Ditillo said she was walking across campus to take a final exam when she saw the bear.

"From far away, we weren't really sure what it was," she said. "But we wandered by and it was there. It's a college campus and weird things happen."

Junior Morjan Rahal said the bear's death prompts questions about how it died and why it was brought to campus.

"I was really confused," she said. "But I thought, 'Hey, we're in NC and things happen.'"

Anyone with information about the bear is asked to call the wildlife commission at 1-800-662-7137.