'Bear-aware': Police rescue curious bear trapped inside car. Watch video

A video showing police officials making efforts to free a bear trapped inside a car is making rounds on the internet, earning plentiful praises from netizens worldwide. The video was released by the Washoe County Sheriff's Office (WCSO), showing officers coordinating a plan and then carefully freeing the trapped animal.

The officials reached the spot after getting a call from a home in Incline Village in the region. Villagers noted that a bear was trapped inside a black car and immediately alerted police.

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How did the police manage to rescue the bear?

The video begins with an official tying a rope to the door handle of the car, who then pulls open the door from a safe distance. The trapped bear took no time in jumping out from the vehicle once the door was pulled open by the officer. Thanks to the presence of mind displayed by the officers involved, nobody was injured in the accident, while the car interiors suffered minor damages.

It was still unclear how the bear ended up getting trapped inside the car, but WCSO stated that springtime is a very active season for the bear population.

Authorities also cautioned the residents to be vigilant and “bear-aware”, and advised against leaving food items inside their vehicles or food waste and leftovers outside their homes.

Human encounters with the bear population on the rise

Nevada is home to at least 400 bears at any given time, and the encounters between bears and humans in the region have increased over the past few years, especially after the 2021 summer of historic wildfires near Lake Tahoe.

Ashley Sanchez, a spokeswoman for the Nevada Department of Wildlife said in 2021, “The big issue we’re seeing right now is that their habitat is burning, the bear population is growing and they’re moving into neighbourhoods because they are opportunistic and they’re food-driven.”

“We just lay out this buffet for bears. There are fruit trees, there’s garbage and all sorts of other attractants that humans leave out,” she added.

She warned residents that bears may continue to show up in their neighbourhoods if they keep getting food over and over again, adding that people must inform wildlife authorities immediately after any bear sighting. “It’s on all of us to keep bears wild,” she said.

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