Curtis Pirie encountered a surprising sight when he noticed a bear with a large stove pipe stuck on its head while dealing with a loose bike chain in Oliver, B.C. Just an hour prior, his wife had shown him a photo of the same bear on social media.
Pirie, along with a neighbor, tried to help the bear by attempting to remove the pipe themselves, but their efforts were unsuccessful. The bear eventually climbed up a tree, prompting Pirie’s wife to contact the B.C. Conservation Officer Service.
Upon the officers’ arrival, the bear was tranquilized, and with some assistance from Pirie, his neighbor, and the officers, the bear was coaxed down from the tree. The pipe was then safely removed from its head.
The conservation officers revealed that they had been receiving reports about the bear for about 10 days before the rescue operation. The bear had been spotted in various areas, showing signs of distress and banging into objects.
Despite the bear’s thin appearance, it was still in good health. The officers relocated the bear back into the woods near Oliver after ensuring its well-being. The cause of how the pipe got stuck on the bear’s head remains unknown, emphasizing the importance of keeping attractants away and promptly alerting authorities in similar situations.
