GLADSTONE, NEW MEXICO, July 23 (Amarillo Times) — A bear perched on a high-voltage utility pole near Gladstone, New Mexico, died before state wildlife officers and other responders could reach the scene, the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish said.
The agency said it was notified about 10 a.m. Monday, July 20, after a 911 caller reported the animal on the pole. Dispatchers warned in audio captured with the video that tranquilizing the bear while it remained on the pole could cause it to fall.
The wildlife agency said the reporting party was told to leave the bear alone so it could come down on its own, and local dispatchers were asked to pass that along to others. It also said some people stopped near the pole to film and take pictures while the bear remained at the top.
The department said the Union County Sheriff’s Office, the power company and wildlife conservation officers were notified, but the bear sustained fatal injuries before they arrived. Some reports described the death as electrocution, but the agency’s statement did not use that word.