Bear on utility pole in New Mexico
Simply spotting a bear in the wild is an occurrence most of us will never experience. However, some people in New Mexico were recently treated to a truly once-in-a-lifetime encounter after coming across a bear that managed to make its way to the top of a utility pole.
New Mexico is probably not the first state that springs to mind when it comes to places where you need to keep an eye out for bears. However, it is believed to be home to at least 5,500 of the black variety, with the majority of those animals residing in and around the mountainous areas in its northern and western regions.
The “town” of Gladstone would not normally be a top candidate for a bear sighting, as the community that boasts a grand total of five residents is located on a flat stretch of U.S. Highway 56 in northeastern New Mexico surrounded by miles of flat and barren land.
However, one of those animals not only managed to show up there but ended up overlooking the road from the top of a pole it managed to climb up.
A bear was unfortunately electrocuted after climbing to the top of a utility pole in New Mexico
Experts recommend standing your ground if you come face-to-face with a bear, as you’re not going to be able to outrun them if you attempt to flee. They would also advise you to resist the urge to climb a tree to attempt to get away, as those animals are much more capable of scaling them than humans are.
That is also the case with wooden utility poles, as evidenced by a video captured by someone who was making their way down the aforementioned highway on Monday, June 20th, when they spotted a large black bear (the only species currently native to New Mexico) chilling on top of a wooden pole used for stringing electrical wires.
👮♂️911 operator: “911 what is your emergency?”
😳Caller: “I’m calling to report a bear on top of a light pole.” pic.twitter.com/8g07ibZupQ
— 👮♂️🚒 Tales of Badge & Blaze™ (@ScottEnlow) July 21, 2026
The clip also included an exchange between a man and a 911 dispatcher who informed him they had already fielded at least one call about the bear before reaching out to wildlife officials, who said any attempt to tranquilize the animal would endanger it.
Unfortunately, KOAT reports the bear perished after being electrocuted by the wires that surrounded it; the local sheriff’s office was reportedly attempting to respond to the call, but it was unable to get the power switched off in time.
It’s worth noting there have been situations where bears have been rescued after ending up in a similar situation, including one that was successfully brought back down in Arizona in 2021 and another that was saved in the same county at the end of 2025.