Despite averaging between 400 and 600 pounds, grizzly bears are much more agile than they appear and are capable of scaling trees and other objects with ease.
A pair of travelers recorded the shocking scene while calling 911 to alert operators as they drove down the highway. During the brief phone call, the travelers were advised against engaging with the wandering bear.
Operator: "Just leave it be. I already called the Game and Fish and was told there is nothing they can do. They could go and tranquilize it. But if they do that, it's gonna fall and hurt itself."
Bear Goes Viral For Scaling a Utility Pole
The US Department of the Interior reposted the footage of the daredevil carnivore on Wednesday, poking fun at the odd situation.
"We appreciate the enthusiasm for American Energy Dominance, but this isn't what we meant," the department
Shannon Mullens, who witnessed the sightseeing bear, told Storyful she was traveling from New Mexico to Oklahoma on Highway 56 when she spotted the jaw-dropping scene.
"We really didn't believe what we saw at first, so we turned around to get another look," Mullens said.
"At first, we thought that the bear was dead, until we got closer to it and then we realized that he was still alive."
Sightseeing Bear Dies During Rescue Mission
Unfortunately, the bear did not survive the trip atop the utility pole.
The New Mexico Department of Fish and Wildlife informed the New York Post that the animal was fatally electrocuted before it could be safely rescued.
Wildlife experts say bears can climb utility poles after becoming startled by people, traffic, or dogs. Similar to how they scale trees to avoid danger.
A similar incident ended differently in Arizona in 2021. Back then, wildlife officials safely rescued a bear that had climbed a utility pole.
