Tenn. Black Bear Saved From Jar Stuck On Its Head

NEWPORT, Tenn. — A black bear is back in the woods in Tennessee after getting help with a problem – a plastic jar stuck on its head.

State wildlife officers looked for the bear for three weeks after reports he was caught in the jug. The Knoxville News Sentinel said the male bear was roaming around Newport, in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains.

On July 17, wildlife officer Shelly Hammonds was checking another report of the bear when the animal ran in front of her vehicle. Hammonds fired a tranquillizer dart and the bear collapsed in downtown Newport.

The bear weighed just 115 pounds, about half its expected weight. It was released into the Cherokee National Forest. Wildlife officials believe the bear got into the jar while foraging through garbage.

Check out more pictures of the bear's rescue:

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Jar Stuck On Black Bear's Head.

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A black bear that suffered through three weeks of anguish due in July 2011 to having a plastic container stuck over its head is now safe and sound due to the persistence of a well-trained wildlife officer, according to the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency.

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A black bear that suffered through three weeks of anguish due in July 2011 to having a plastic container stuck over its head is now safe and sound due to the persistence of a well-trained wildlife officer, according to the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency.

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Comments

[Kwrohan]

06:06 PM on 07/27/2011

Almost identical to the story of a bear cub in Fl. last summer with it's head in a jug. Took the wildlife folks about 3 wks to get him caught and the jar removed. It was followed daily in the paper and he was christened "jar head".

[Fonsini]

06:01 PM on 07/27/2011

In celebration mode, the bear promptly entered the woods and feasted on 2 campers as a sign of it's gratitude.

[Misericordia]

03:20 PM on 07/27/2011

Aw... I love stories like this. It's so good to hear about people doing nice things for a change!

[bobwehde]

07:37 AM on 07/26/2011

Please people, Safety all trash before placing into the trash can and the put a lid on it. That jar could have been cut in half and saved that poor bear a lot of grief. Cut 6 pack holders so there are no completed loops to hurt the wild life. Pick up used fishing line and lures and take them home for disposal. This is the only wildlife we have, please help save it.

[Misericordia]

03:21 PM on 07/27/2011

I've been cutting up six pack holders for years, however a lot of people don't seem to know how destructive the can be.

[rarriagaz]

12:43 PM on 07/25/2011

Ok America now has another mascot. Smokey the Bear to advertise against forest fires. Now we will have Winne the Poo advertising against environmental pollution.

[Chester Erickson]

01:34 PM on 07/24/2011

Every comment by this user is spam (for anyone that is interested).

[Jabandit]

07:35 PM on 07/23/2011

wow...

... 3 weeks without water is impressive.

[sillyfrog]

03:55 PM on 07/25/2011

Poor baby.

[HHUA]

12:20 PM on 07/23/2011

This poor animal. People really need to be more responsible with their "trash" (a perfect metaphor for what humans are doing to the world).

I can't tell you how many times over the years I have seen birds with fishing wire attached to them! I live near a state park on the Hudson river and am constantly picking up wads of fishing wire, plastic, bottles, etc. People have too little respect for the natural world and the creatures we share it with!

Kudos to the ranger for helping this guy. I just hope he's strong enough to forage and hunt on his own (considering his poor condition).

[sillyfrog]

04:00 PM on 07/25/2011

I get angry when people flick lit cigs. It is a huge burn on small wildlife.

[Kwrohan]

06:08 PM on 07/27/2011

Recently 6 horses died in a trailer fire because someone threw a lit butt out the window and it landed in their van and caught the hay on fire. Driver didn't know until it was to late. He and a good samaritan were burned trying to get the horses out. PLEASE STUB out your butts.

[Keil E]

02:23 AM on 07/23/2011

A new creature called the Tennessee Jarhead

[BoFo]

11:34 PM on 07/22/2011

Is that the hatch from Lost? Was he an understudy for the polar bear?
Wrong color AND he got his head stuck in a jar. Bad casting if you ask me.

[cbs102642]

09:23 PM on 07/22/2011

FINALLY, Huff Post reported a newsworthy story but knowing them, this comment will probably be censored too.

Kudos to the Park Ranger for a job well done. Kudos to the bear for sticking it out.

[cmfrtblebbw]

09:05 PM on 07/22/2011

He Bearly lived to tell the tale of giant jugs while chasing tail.

[hornedcog]

11:51 PM on 07/22/2011

I've struggled for breath myself.

[sillyfrog]

03:56 PM on 07/25/2011

Me too, pretty damn scary.

[Misericordia]

03:22 PM on 07/27/2011

Fanned and faved!

[littlebrowngirl]

08:50 PM on 07/22/2011

Chris Christie ... is that you?

[P51MUSTANG]

07:35 PM on 07/22/2011

Next Week in Health: the Cheese-ball jar diet!

[Ravyn]

08:10 AM on 07/23/2011

Is that comment suppose to be funny? Really?

[rarriagaz]

12:45 PM on 07/25/2011

No it is just poking fun at people and new diet fads. However I do have a name for the Bear. Lets call it Winne the Pooh cause it had a jar stuck on its head. I wonder if the Park Rangers name was Owl?

[WheresMyParty]

07:33 PM on 07/22/2011

That must have been an excruciating three weeks for that poor bear.

[YoBear]

08:05 PM on 07/22/2011

Yeah, no kidding. I can see how it could live without food, but how did it get water?

[cbs102642]

09:26 PM on 07/22/2011

Probably submerged it's head in water and filled the jar. They are animals but they are not stupid.