Bear on New Mexico utility pole died before responders arrived, state wildlife agency says

GLADSTONE, NEW MEXICO, July 23 (Amarillo Times) — A bear perched atop a high-voltage utility pole near Gladstone, New Mexico, died before responders could reach the scene, according to the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish.

The agency said it was notified about the animal around 10 a.m. Monday, July 20, and told the reporting party to leave the bear alone so it could come down on its own. It also asked local dispatchers to tell others to do the same.

Video of the bear on the pole, verified by Storyful, showed the animal above the ground near power lines. In the footage, a 911 caller reported a bear on top of a light pole, and a dispatcher warned that tranquilizing it while it remained there could cause it to fall, according to secondary coverage of the audio.

The wildlife agency said some people stopped near the pole to film and take pictures while the bear remained at the top. The agency said the Union County Sheriff’s Office, the power company and wildlife officers were notified, but the bear sustained fatal injuries before they arrived.

A passerby identified in secondary coverage as Shannon Mullens recorded the video, which drew attention online after the incident near U.S. Highway 56 in northeastern New Mexico. The agency did not specify the animal’s species in the information quoted by USA TODAY.