Bear Climbing Utility Pole in New Mexico Captures Attention

A bear in rural New Mexico became a topic of conversation as a video of it perching on a utility pole went viral. The incident occurred near Gladstone, around 170 miles east of Santa Fe, and was recorded on Monday. The bear was observed balancing on the crossarm of the pole, visibly panting and trying to maintain stability.

The U.S. Department of the Interior shared the video again on Wednesday with a humorous comment, “We appreciate the enthusiasm for American Energy Dominance, but this isn’t what we meant.” The New Mexico Department of Wildlife and the Department of the Interior have not commented on the situation to Fox News Digital.

The video was confirmed by Storyful and includes a 911 call where a caller reports witnessing a bear atop a light pole. The dispatcher informed them that state officials were notified but tranquilizing the bear on the pole was risky as it could cause the bear to fall.

Shannon Mullens, who recorded the video, expressed disbelief upon seeing the bear. She was traveling with family from Red River, New Mexico, to Oklahoma on Highway 56 when they noticed the bear. Initially, they thought it was dead, but upon closer inspection, they found the bear alive.

Unfortunately, the bear was electrocuted and passed away before wildlife officials could rescue it, according to a New York Post report. Experts note that bears sometimes climb utility poles, responding to danger or stress, similar to how they might climb trees.

In a separate incident in Arizona in 2021, a similar situation ended positively when wildlife officials managed to rescue a bear that had climbed a utility pole.