Bear Cub Gets Head Stuck In Plastic Chicken Feeder

ROUND TOP, NY — A bear cub that found itself wearing questionable headgear for a few days was helped out of its predicament by Department of Environmental Conservation police officers.

On July 1, an officer received a call from a resident of Round Top, Greene County, about black bear cub with what appeared to be a bucket stuck on its head.

By the time the officer got to the location, the cub had wandered into the nearby woods.

Over the next several days, residents called and sent text messages, including a photograph of the cub perched on a tree trunk with a plastic chicken feeder on its head.

It was determined the plastic feeder was something that was unlikely to break apart or fall off without some sort of intervention, the officer said.

On July 10, the officer got a call from a manager of a Round Top resort who located the cub in a wooded area.

The officer and others went to the location and found the cub, which was with a female adult bear and other cubs.

A plan was formulated by the officers to remove the plastic feeder.

The female bear — or sow — was lured away to provide enough space and time for the officers to capture the cub.

The thick plastic collar of the chicken feeder was cut, and the feeder was removed from the cub's head.

Officers released the cub back to the sow without injury.

For more information about reducing human and bear conflicts, go to this DEC website.]

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