Viral Video of Bear Atop Utility Pole in the US Ends in Tragedy

13:17   23 July, 2026

Footage of a bear that climbed to the very top of an electric utility pole has garnered tens of thousands of views. However, rescuers were ultimately unable to save the animal.

The striking video was filmed on July 20 in rural Gladstone, New Mexico, and posted on X. The footage was even shared by the U.S. Department of the Interior, which jokingly commented: "We appreciate the enthusiasm for American energy dominance, but this isn't quite what we meant."

Eyewitness Shannon Mullens said she was driving along Highway 56 from New Mexico to Oklahoma when she noticed something strange on the pole. "At first, we just couldn't believe our eyes and turned around to look again. We thought the bear was dead, but as we got closer, we saw it was breathing heavily and still alive," Shannon shared.

Verified footage shows the massive beast breathing heavily, clinging to the crossarm of the power line with its front paws while its hind legs dangle helplessly in the air.

In a recorded emergency call to 911, the dispatcher can be heard explaining to the eyewitness that the Department of Game and Fish was already aware of the situation, but the problem could not be resolved quickly. Using a tranquilizer was too dangerous: if the bear were put to sleep at such a height, it would simply fall to its death.

Regrettably, the story ended tragically. Representatives from the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish later reported that, despite rescue attempts, the bear died from electrocution before it could be brought down.

Wildlife experts note that such behavior is not an isolated incident (for example, in 2021, a similar bear in Arizona was successfully rescued). When young or frightened animals encounter danger on the ground—such as humans, loud traffic, or barking dogs—they instinctively climb a high pole, mistaking it for an ordinary tree.



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