Those large jars of puffy cheese balls you see in the stores can be sooooo tempting. They are not on your diet. You know they aren't good for you, but . . . well . . . sometimes you've just gotta. That kind of thinking was probably behind a young bear's dilemma when he got his head stuck inside one of these jars. His desire to taste the cheesy residue of this tasty treat nearly cost him his life.
Image via YouTube
People living near Glenwood Springs, Colorado had been reporting to seeing the 2-year-old black bear wandering the Four Mile Creek area for at least a week. Wildlife officials would respond to calls about the bear, but by the time they got there the bear had moved on. That is until the bear met up with Jim Hawkins.
Hawkins, the proprietor or the Four Mile Creek Bed and Breakfast, and his wife had been seeing the beleaguered bear on their property. He described the sight as a bear wearing a space helmet. When the wildlife officials were unable to catch the bear Hawkins decided that he needed to step in and lend a hand. He had hidden skills that no one would expect of someone in the hospitality industry. He had grown up in cowboy country and knew his way around a rope. So he put a rope and gloves in a handy place and waited for the bear to come again.
One morning someone reported seeing the bear in the area. Hawkins grabbed his gear and was ready when the bear started to cross his backyard again. Guests at the B & B were then witness to one of the strangest rodeo feats ever as Hawkins threw a lasso over the bear. It caught the bear around the mid-section. The two were caught in a tug of war. The little bear decided that his problem was at the other end of the rope and went after Hawkins. While the bear's teeth were out of the way, his claws were still active. It was a good thing that Hawkins outweighed the small bear as they ended up rolling in the grass a few times before the bear gave up and scooted up a tree.
Photo by Jim Hawkins, Image via Glenwood Springs Post Independent
Hawkins tied off the rope so that the bear couldn't get away and it was there that Carbondale District Wildlife Officer John Groves found it shortly thereafter. The bear was tranquilized and brought down from the tree. They used a pair of tin snips to cut the plastic jar from his head and then Groves administered another drug to reverse the effects of the tranquilizer. A few minutes later the bear woke up, took a drink from the B & B's pond, and wandered off. Hawkins had received a number of scratches from the bear's claws, one of which had to be stitched up. Had the bear been an adult his injuries may have been life threatening.
Photo by Jim Hawkins, Image via Glenwood Springs Post Independent
While this tale does bring Winnie the Pooh and honey jars to mind, this was very serious business. Colorado Parks and Wildlife reminds people not to try something like this themselves. Interaction with wildlife can be dangerous and it is best to leave it to the professionals. This is also a cautionary tale that reminds us to properly dispose of our trash because of the damage it can do to wildlife. No bear's life is worth a jar of cheese balls.
Sources: 9News, Gleenwood Springs Post Independent
