The Florida Fish and Wildlife department got a call about a bear with a plastic container on its head more than a month ago. After two sightings were recorded, no one saw the bear for three weeks. In such cases, it is often assumed that the bear got the obstruction off by itself. But then a home security system recorded the bear wandering through Golden Gates Estates in Collier County.
When officials located the bear, a biologist anesthetized the 250-pound female by dart gun. They removed a plastic cylinder that had an opening on both ends -possibly from an automatic feeder device- which enabled the bear to eat and drink while she was carrying it around. The bear was in surprisingly good shape except for a sore ring around her head from the container. She was later released into Picayune Strand State Forest.
That bear sure was happy to be free! Free of the plastic container, and free of the observation cage.
#bear #bearrescue