New Mexico bear electrocuted after climbing utility pole

A bear that climbed to the top of a utility pole in rural New Mexico died of electrocution on July 20, an incident that drew widespread attention after video of the stranded animal circulated online. The black bear was spotted perched on a wooden crossarm along Highway 56 near the community of Gladstone in Union County.

The initial sighting was made by Shannon Mullens, who was traveling with her family from Red River, New Mexico, toward Oklahoma. Mullens said they initially thought the animal was dead before realizing it was alive and struggling to maintain its balance roughly 35 feet above the ground. She and other passing motorists stopped and contacted authorities. Audio from a 911 call placed that day captured a caller reporting, "I'm calling to report a bear on top of a light pole."

The New Mexico Department of Game and Fish was notified around 10 a.m. and coordinated a response involving a Union County sheriff's deputy, the local power company, and conservation officers. Dispatchers instructed callers and onlookers to leave the area, advising that the best course was to allow the frightened bear to climb down on its own. Officials explained that attempting to tranquilize...