While cruising along the outskirts of Cross Fork, Pennsylvania, park ranger Sarah Lindgren experienced a sudden halt when she caught sight of something peculiar.
There, nestled just off the beaten path, lay a creature in distress.
“I spotted what seemed to be a bear with an object on its head, lying still by the roadside”, Lindgren recounted to The Dodo.
Drawing nearer to the distressed animal, Lindgren’s suspicions were confirmed, it was indeed a bear cub ensnared in the grip of an empty plastic container. And then, a flicker of movement.
“As I approached, the cub lifted its head”, Lindgren said. “So, I proceeded cautiously, trying not to startle it.”
Perched conspicuously by the roadside, it almost seemed as though the cub was beckoning assistance from any passing soul. And assistance it received.
With a gentle yet firm tug, Lindgren managed to liberate the cub’s head from the confining jar.
“Afterward, the cub seemed disoriented and eyed me warily”, Lindgren recalled. “I urged it to move along to avoid any potential harm from passing vehicles.”
Once the cub had ventured to a safer distance, Lindgren promptly notified the Pennsylvania Game Commission of the incident.
Throughout the ordeal, no sign of the cub’s mother emerged. However, officials deemed the approximately 8-month-old cub capable of fending for itself, suggesting it may have been doing so already.
“I believe if the mother had been present, she could have intervened”, Lindgren mused. “It’s likely this cub was accustomed to solitude.”
Thankfully, Lindgren spotted the cub again a few days later, noting a resurgence of vitality.
“I remain hopeful for its survival”, Lindgren remarked. “I did what I could within the bounds of the law, and I’m grateful I was there to lend a hand.”