Giant bear perched atop utility pole dies before rescuers can reach it

BS BRIEF:

A bizarre video of a bear balancing atop a utility pole in rural New Mexico went viral this week, drawing thousands of reactions after the U.S. Department of the Interior reshared the footage with a tongue-in-cheek caption.
New Mexico wildlife officials later confirmed the bear died after suffering a fatal electrocution before responders could safely rescue it. Authorities said tranquilizing the animal while it remained high on the pole risked causing a deadly fall.
Wildlife experts say bears occasionally climb utility poles while fleeing perceived threats, mistaking them for trees—a rare but dangerous situation that has resulted in both successful rescues and tragic outcomes.

VIRAL VIDEO OF BEAR STRANDED ATOP NEW MEXICO POWER POLE ENDS IN TRAGEDY

What first looked like an unbelievable internet video turned into a heartbreaking reminder of how unpredictable encounters between wildlife and modern infrastructure can become.

Travelers encountered an unusual sight while driving through New Mexico on Monday, July 20, after a bear scaled a power pole and sat among electrical wires at the top. Those who called 911 were told to leave the bear alone because there was nothing authorities could do but let… pic.twitter.com/daLV0W9chx

— ABC7 News (@abc7newsbayarea) July 23, 2026

A bear that climbed to the top of a utility pole near Gladstone, New Mexico, became an overnight viral sensation after motorists recorded the animal clinging to the crossarm nearly 40 feet above the ground. The footage showed the visibly distressed bear panting heavily while struggling to keep its balance.

The video, verified by Storyful, captured a passerby making what may be one of the more unusual 911 calls dispatchers have ever received.

“I’m calling to report a bear on top of a light pole,” the caller told emergency dispatchers.

According to the dispatcher, wildlife officials had already been notified, but immediately tranquilizing the animal wasn’t considered a safe option.

Officials explained that if the bear were darted while perched on the crossarm, it could lose consciousness and fall to the ground, likely killing it before rescuers could intervene.

The woman who filmed the encounter, Shannon Mullens, said she initially thought the bear had already died.

“We really didn’t believe what we saw at first, so we turned around to get another look.”

She added:

“At first, we thought that the bear was dead, until we got closer to it, and then we realized that he was still alive.”

Sadly, the unusual rescue effort never had the chance to unfold.

New Mexico wildlife officials later confirmed the bear suffered fatal injuries after being electrocuted before crews could safely remove it from the pole. Officials said conservation officers, the local utility company and sheriff’s deputies had all been notified, but the bear died before they arrived.

The U.S. Department of the Interior, which had earlier shared the footage with the caption:

“We appreciate the enthusiasm for American Energy Dominance, but this isn’t what we meant,”

later saw the story take a much more somber turn as confirmation of the bear’s death spread online.

Wildlife biologists say the behavior, while uncommon, isn’t unheard of.

Black bears often scramble up trees when startled by people, vehicles or dogs. Utility poles can appear similar enough that frightened animals instinctively climb them in an attempt to escape danger. A similar incident in Arizona in 2021 ended happily after utility workers de-energized a pole and safely coaxed a bear back to the ground.

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