Black Bear Rescued After Being Stuck In Icy Culvert During Hibernation

There will be moments when we’re up the creek and we need help from others. And when we seek help from people around us, we believe that it’s a chance for us to better develop our relationships with them. Just like humans, animals sometimes are found in difficult situations and have to beg for aid from humans. At these moments, sharing help with animals is the best way for humans to maintain a deep connection with nature.
The story’s main character today is a 6-year-old black bear. He had carelessly fallen into a culvert in Minnesota and was then luckily saved by a rescue team.
It was the bear’s hibernation, and the giant friend seemed to be looking for a suitable place to rest. As a result, he chose to relax at the culvert alongside a road in Wannaska. Though the location seemed to be a suitable place for taking a nap, it was dangerous, as melting snow can flood bears out of the culverts. Unfortunately, that terrible scene actually happened.

Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources

He was at first spotted stuck in the deep snow and ice by a Samaritan. Immediately, an emergency call was made, and the accident was reported to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.
Responding to calls from the public to help the bear, four members of the Minnesota DNR went out to save him. When the rescue team arrived at the location, the bear’s weight was determined to range from 375 to 400 pounds, and the rescuers had to knock him out by providing him with anesthetic.

Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources

It took them 20 minutes to get the bear out by using a rope with "paw cuffs" to pull the bear out of the snow.
"He went right down in 10 minutes, and it took about five guys to haul him up and out of the hole once we dug him out. We just had to free his leg out of the hole in the culvert," Tri said.
After the rescue, the bear was healthy, however, he was confirmed to have traumas due to being woken up from hibernation. Hence, it was decided that the bear would be moved to a state of the sanctuary, where he could continue hibernating.

Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources

The story was controversial right after it was published on social media. Some have debated that humans should not intervene in the case and just let nature take its course. In response to these complaints, the DNR stated that they had carefully made decisions to handle the situation.
Through this case, the organization wants to raise awareness among netizens about the right behaviors with wild animals. They emphasized that situations like this should be handled by professionals, not by well-intentioned bystanders who tried to pull the bear out on their own. Also, behaviors like offering snacks, cat food, and Swedish Fish shouldn’t be done, as these foods are not good for bears.
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