(VIDEO) Bear That Climbed a New Mexico Utility Pole Dies of Electrocution Despite Wildlife Officials’ Advice

A black bear that climbed a utility pole in rural northeastern New Mexico died of electrocution this week after becoming stranded among high-voltage power lines, despite officials’ efforts to keep bystanders away in hopes the animal would climb down on its own.

The incident occurred Monday, July 20, along Highway 56 near Gladstone, a sparsely populated area of Union County. Passing motorists spotted the bear perched near the top of the pole and stopped along the roadside, some believing at first that the animal was already dead before realizing it was still alive and struggling to maintain its balance.

How the sighting unfolded

Shannon Mullens, who was traveling with her family from Red River, New Mexico, toward Oklahoma, said she and her relatives initially could not believe what they were seeing. “We really didn’t believe what we saw at first, so we turned around to get another look,” Mullens told Storyful. After getting closer, the group realized the animal was alive. “At first, we thought that the bear was dead, until we got closer to it and then we realized that he was still alive,” Mullens said.

Another motorist, Robin Dawson, also stopped to record the animal and contacted emergency services after finding other drivers already gathered near the base of the pole. Audio captured during one of the 911 calls placed that day reflected the unusual nature of the report. “I’m calling to report a bear on top of a light pole,” the caller told the dispatcher.

What officials advised

According to the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish, the agency was notified of the situation around 10 a.m. and dispatched a Union County sheriff’s deputy, a representative from the local power company and conservation officers to the scene. In the meantime, dispatchers instructed onlookers to leave the bear alone in hopes it would descend from the pole on its own, cautioning that attempting to tranquilize the animal at that height risked causing it to fall and suffer potentially fatal injuries.

Despite that guidance, officials said, numerous members of the public continued to stop along the highway to photograph and film the bear rather than clearing the area. A department spokesperson suggested that the continued activity near the base of the pole may have discouraged the already frightened animal from attempting to climb down on its own. “The reporting party was instructed to leave the bear alone so it could come down on its own,” the spokesperson said in a statement provided to Storyful. “Unfortunately, the bear sustained fatal injuries before they arrived.”

A fatal outcome

By the time responders reached the scene, the bear had already been fatally electrocuted, according to the New York Post, which cited confirmation from the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish. The department’s account indicates that despite the coordinated response involving local law enforcement, the utility company and wildlife officers, the animal died before any rescue effort could be attempted.

A federal agency weighs in

The video of the stranded bear circulated widely on social media in the days following the incident, eventually drawing a lighthearted response from the U.S. Department of the Interior, which shared the footage on social media with a wry comment about energy policy. “We appreciate the enthusiasm for American Energy Dominance, but this isn’t what we meant,” the department wrote in a post referencing the viral clip.

Why bears climb utility poles

Wildlife experts say the behavior, while unusual to witness, is not without precedent. Bears will sometimes climb utility poles after being startled by people, traffic, dogs or other perceived threats, treating the structures much like trees as an escape route from danger. Because utility poles differ significantly from trees in both structure and the presence of live electrical equipment, such incidents carry a serious risk of electrocution for the animal, in addition to the risk of triggering power outages for surrounding communities.

Not the first such incident

This is not the first time a bear has become stranded on a utility pole in the region. In a similar case in June 2021, a bear climbed a utility pole in Willcox, Arizona, roughly 80 miles east of Tucson, becoming tangled near live power lines carrying roughly 7,500 volts. In that instance, utility workers with Sulphur Springs Valley Electric Cooperative were able to disable the power in time and used a bucket lift to encourage the animal down safely. Lineman Werner Neubauer, who assisted in that rescue, described the danger the bear had faced at the time, telling reporters, “He was in a pretty dangerous spot. Could’ve very easily gotten himself electrocuted.” In that case, the bear ultimately climbed down unharmed and ran off into the desert.

A tragic contrast

Unlike the 2021 Arizona case, this week’s incident in New Mexico ended in the animal’s death, a contrast that has fueled an outpouring of sympathy online since news of the bear’s fate spread following the viral video. Many social media users expressed sadness that an encounter that initially seemed like a strange but harmless spectacle ultimately ended in tragedy for the animal.

Wildlife officials have not indicated whether any additional safety measures or utility infrastructure changes are being considered in response to the incident, though the case adds to a broader body of examples illustrating the risks utility poles can pose to wildlife that mistake them for natural climbing structures. For now, the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish has used the incident as an opportunity to remind the public of the importance of giving wild animals space and following official guidance during similar encounters, even when the instinct to observe or document such an unusual sighting is strong.