CALGARY — A black bear perched high atop a utility pole in New Mexico has become the focus of a viral video after a 911 caller reported the unusual sight to emergency dispatchers.The incident occurred in Raton, New Mexico, where the bear was spotted clinging to the top of the pole, prompting a concerned resident to call 911."Are you calling about a bear?" the dispatcher asked. "It's on the tower pole?""Yeah, it's alive," the caller responded.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"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.".Rather than attempting a risky rescue, authorities appeared to conclude that allowing the animal to climb down on its own posed the safest option. Wildlife experts have long warned that tranquilizing animals in elevated positions can be dangerous, as sedatives do not take effect immediately and can cause an animal to lose its grip before rescuers are in position to break its fall.Authorities have not publicly detailed how the New Mexico bear eventually made its way down or whether any intervention was ultimately required.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.
