A black bear that’s been wandering around Wisconsin with a jar stuck on its head is finally freed of its plastic prison. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Wildlife Services staff was able to locate and sedate the bear and then free it by cutting the plastic jar off of its head.
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) released a press release announcing the good news, calling this a “unique situation.” No one knows exactly how, when, or where the bear got stuck in the jar in the first place.
“The DNR and USDA Wildlife Services staff first learned of a bear with a plastic jar stuck on its head in north central Sawyer County on Saturday, July 26,” wrote the Wisconsin DNR. “Since the bear was first observed, it moved nearly 50 miles and was reported multiple times across northern Sawyer County and southern Bayfield and Douglas counties.”
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Wildlife officials used reported sightings to determine where to set live traps for the bear, but they couldn’t catch it. After over a week of monitoring and trapping efforts, they finally caught a break. A trained wildlife professional safely darted the bear, cut off the jug, and examined the animal for injuries.
Besides being on the thin side, the female bear (about two years old) survived with no injuries. Observations from the public suggest the bear was able to drink by dunking its head in water, which poured through punctures in the jug from the bear’s claws.
See photos of the bear with its head stuck in the jar and after it was freed:
All images provided to media by USDA APHIS Wildlife Services
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