A 2-year-old bear is lucky to be alive after surviving for over a week with a jar stuck on its head. The incident happened in Wisconsin. Fortunately, the animal eventually was freed from the jar.
According to a press release from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR), the bear became stuck in the jar around July 26. It was first observed in the town of Cable. From there, the animal went north, traveling 50 miles. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Wildlife Services set traps to save the animal from its fate, using sightings to track its location.
However, the animal eventually returned to the area of its first sighting. That's when Erik Donley and his nieces spotted the animal.
"We heard about this bear being on our property about a week ago. I was talking to some friends, and lo and behold, she came out of the woods and started walking towards me," Donley told KBJR.
Bear Stuck In Jar
"Twelve days for a bear to be without food and not much water, it's impressive for the bear. So, to be a part of its resolution was... definitely something that we can be happy we were there for it," said Harriet Hill, one of Donley's nieces.
Fortunately, the bear was returned to the wild and appears to be okay. The animal will be fine.
"We do not know how long the jug was on the bear's head, but it was a little skinny when captured. There were punctures in the jug - likely from the bear's claws - and a public observation indicated that it was able to drink by dunking its head in water," said Randy Johnson, DNR large carnivore specialist.
"The bear was likely surviving on body fat reserves (which can be significant on bears by midsummer). A bear of that age and sex normally averages between 100-150 pounds this time of year," added Johnson.
