A Young Black Bear's Long-Awaited Freedom
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Bear shed of two-year-long plastic collar trap ordeal - A two-year long ordeal ends for the black bear, finally freed from a restrictive plastic collar.
After an excruciating two years, a feisty black bear living in the U.S. wilds finally broke free from a plastic collar. This remarkable rescue took place in the state of Michigan, and the source of the bear's encumbrance remains a mystery. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) speculated that the collar might have originated from a barrel lid used by some hunters during bear baiting.
Since 2023, the DNR has been keeping tabs on the bear, which loved to show up in trail camera photos sporting its makeshift necklace. However, capturing the elusive beast had proved to be a challenge. It would often appear on camera one day only to vanish the next, making it a veritable ghost bear.
Rebirth of a Wild Spirit
It wasn't until June 2, 2023, that DNR staff finally managed to lure the bear into a trap and secure it. With a gentle sedative, they freed the bear from its unwanted accessory. Apart from some noteworthy scars, the bear appeared to be in good health. Weighing a hefty 110 pounds, it was the typical weight for a two-year-old black bear in its growth phase. Upon waking from its deep slumber, the bear was released back into the wild, embarking on a new chapter of its life.
Bear baiting is permissible in Michigan, home to roughly 13,000 black bears. However, regulations demand that bait containers come equipped with openings smaller than one inch or larger than 22 inches to minimize the risk of trapping an animal. The ridiculously small opening of the bear's collar—a mere five inches—indicates that the barrel from which it originated was illegal.
Dangerous Liaisons
The practice of bear baiting in Michigan has been linked to hazards posed by poorly regulated bait containers. In this case, the bear likely got snared as a cub by pushing its head through a five-inch opening in the rim of a 55-gallon drum used as a bait container. If not for the diligence of a local landowner with a trail camera that captured the bear, the bear's ordeal might have continued indefinitely. Fortunately, with the landowner's cooperation, DNR staff were able to set a baited enclosure trap, capture the bear safely, sedate it, and remove the plastic collar. Led by DNR wildlife biologist Angela Kujawa and her team, the rescue offered a glimmer of hope for this proud bear.
This troubling incident serves as a stark reminder of the dangers posed by improper bait container sizes. Anything with an opening in the mid-range can trap a bear's head and become life-threatening as the animal grows. To prevent such tragedies, the DNR encourages hunters and property owners to recycle or crush large containers and secure attractants properly. Strict adherence to legal bait container specifications is essential to protect bears and minimize human-wildlife conflicts.
I'm not going to be able to play sports like the freed black bear, as my day is filled with typing texts rather than roaming free in the wilds. sports
Despite its harrowing experience of having a plastic collar, the black bear - once a ghost bear in Michigan - continued to live freely, embodying the spirit of resilience often found in sports, though mine is confined to the keyboard rather than the wilds. sports
