Winter in Wannaska, Minnesota, usually means endless blankets of snow. So when a group of drivers spotted a large black shape in the middle of the white landscape, they slowed down to get a closer look — and quickly realized a black bear was stranded and needed help.
According to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR), the bear had chosen a roadside culvert as a cozy spot to settle in for winter. “Bears sometimes hibernate above ground, so this isn’t unusual,” the DNR shared on Facebook. “But when melting snow floods a culvert, it can trap a bear in deep snow and ice — which is exactly what happened here.”
Concerned passersby tried digging the bear out and even attempted to coax him free with food, but he was wedged in too tightly to move. Worried for his safety, dozens of people began calling the DNR, hoping someone could step in before the bear froze or became injured.
When DNR bear biologist Andrew Tri arrived on the scene, he examined the sleepy giant and found him healthy — just extremely groggy from being abruptly pulled out of hibernation.
And it’s no surprise no one could budge him: this bear weighs nearly 400 pounds.
Thanks to the flood of calls from people who wanted to help, the DNR was able to respond quickly. The bear has since been safely relocated to a better spot, where he can (hopefully) finish his winter rest without any more surprises.
“Because of your caring calls, we were able to get this bear out quickly,” the DNR said.
