CALGARY — A black bear has died after becoming stranded atop a utility pole in Raton, New Mexico. The incident unfolded after the bear climbed high onto a utility pole, where it remained for an extended period of time. Officials were concerned that attempting to tranquilize the animal while it was elevated could cause the bear to fall before responders could safely intervene.A 911 caller alerted authorities, but officials said there was no safe way to rescue the bear while it remained atop the utility pole. The bear remained on the pole and later died after coming into contact with electrical equipment.A spokesman for the New Mexico Department of Wildlife confirmed the bear's death to Storyful and suggested it was caused by members of the public who had stopped "to film and take pictures of the bear.""The reporting party was instructed to leave the bear alone so it could come down on its own and local dispatch was asked to instruct concerned citizens to leave the bear alone; however, some members of the public continued to stop next to the power pole to film and take pictures of the bear, so the bear remained at the top of the pole," they said."A Union County sheriff's deputy, the power company and Department conservation officers were notified. Unfortunately, the bear sustained fatal injuries before they arrived.".During the initial call, the dispatcher told the caller that the New Mexico Department of Wildlife had already been contacted, adding that tranquilizing the bear could cause it to fall from the pole and suffer serious injuries. The dispatcher referred to the agency by its former name, "Game and Fish," during the call."Are you calling about a bear?" the dispatcher asked. "It's on the tower pole?""Yeah, it's alive," the caller responded."Just leave it be. I've already called Game and Fish, and they said there's nothing that they can do," the dispatcher said. "They could go and shoot it and tranquilize it to get it down, but if they do that then it's gonna fall and hurt itself."The incident remains another example of the unexpected encounters that can occur as bears venture into areas occupied by people, often in search of food or while moving through their natural habitat.
