MONTMORENCY CO., Mich (WNEM) – Wildlife biologists recently removed a plastic lid from the neck of a young black bear that it carried around for two years.
According to Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR), It’s not known where or how the male bear got its head stuck in the 5-inch hole in the lid.
The lid was similar to those that fit a 55-gallon drum used by hunters to bait bear. They’re also used by landowners to store materials that attract bears, like chicken feed.
Wildlife biologists recently removed a plastic lid from the neck of a young black bear that it…
Wildlife biologists recently removed a plastic lid from the neck of a young black bear that it carried around for two years.(Michigan Department of Natural Resources)
The bear was first tracked in 2023 when biologist at the DNR’s Atlanta field office saw trail camera photos of the then-cub with a lid stuck around its neck. The bear would occasionally appear on other trail cameras over the course of the next 2 years, but would disappear after a day or so, according to DNR.
Wildlife biologists recently removed a plastic lid from the neck of a young black bear that it…
Wildlife biologists recently removed a plastic lid from the neck of a young black bear that it carried around for two years.(Michigan Department of Natural Resources)
In late May, a Hillman resident spotted the bear on trail camera photos before alerting DNR. State biologists set up a baited enclosure trap, with the landowner’s permission, and safely caught the bear on June 2. Once the bear was put under anesthesia, they removed the lid off its neck before collecting body measurement data.
Wildlife biologists recently removed a plastic lid from the neck of a young black bear that it…
Wildlife biologists recently removed a plastic lid from the neck of a young black bear that it carried around for two years.(Michigan Department of Natural Resources)
Weighing in at 110 pounds, which is standard for a growing 2-year-old black bear, according to DNR. It has significant scarring and an abscess on its neck. However, DNR says the bear seemed healthy.
Wildlife biologists recently removed a plastic lid from the neck of a young black bear that it…
Wildlife biologists recently removed a plastic lid from the neck of a young black bear that it carried around for two years.(Michigan Department of Natural Resources)
The bear was released back onto the property once the anesthesia wore off.
Despite bear baiting being legal in Michigan, bait containers can only be used on private land and may only have holes that are 1 inch or less in diameter, or 22 inches or greater in diameter.
“Container openings of a certain size can result in bears and other wildlife getting their heads or other body parts stuck in them, leading to injury or death,” said Norton, the DNR’s bear, furbearer and small game specialist. “It’s important to remember that the opening diameter is more important than the size of the container.”
Trapping, chemical immobilization and data-collecting efforts provided DNR with training and information that can aid future research and bear-management strategies, Norton added.
Michigan is home to about 13,000 black bears – 1,700 of them in the northern Lower Peninsula.
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