Police, firefighters rescue bear with head stuck in bottle

COLORADO -- Police in Colorado rescued a bear cub whose head was stuck in a large plastic tub of protein powder, giving the cub a ride in the back of a cruiser before tranquilizing her so she could be freed.

Police said around 5 a.m., they went to the area of 14th Street and Kiowa Street for a report of a bear cub that had managed to get her head stuck in a plastic protein powder bottle.

 

Officers found the cub and unsuccessfully tried to remove the bottle. They then put the cub in the backseat of a patrol car and took her to Fire Station 3. A Parks and Wildlife ranger sedated the bear, and firefighters used rescue tools to remove the bottle.

"The quick-witted officers were able to get the cub into the back seat of a patrol car and brought her to nearby fire station 3, where a Department of Wildlife Ranger sedated the bear," the police department said in a statement.

It published a photo of the small cub riding in the cruiser, sitting under the rear window, her head stuck in the tub.

Another photo showed her lying sedated on the ground later, her head free, alongside two beaming police officers.

"The bear cub was tagged and released ... in hopes that she will be reunited with mama bear," the police department said.

(MSN - Aug 18, 2015)