Plastic jug removed from bear's head
Wisconsin wildlife officials rescued a bear that had a plastic jug stuck on its head.
The first reported sighting was in Sawyer County on July 26.
Officials set several live traps based on sightings, but the bear was moving too great a distance each day for the traps to be successful.
The animal moved nearly 50 miles to Douglas County, where it was spotted again Saturday.
U.S. Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services officials sedated the bear and removed the jar near Cable, Wisconsin.
Officials said the bear did not appear to be injured.
It weighed approximately 70 pounds and was estimated to be a 2-year-old female.
It's not clear how long the jar was on the bear's head, but officials noted the animal looked skinny.
"There were punctures in the jug – likely from the bear's claws – and a public observation indicated that it was able to drink by dunking its head in water," said Randy Johnson, DNR large carnivore specialist. "The bear was likely surviving on body fat reserves (which can be significant on bears by midsummer). A bear of that age and sex normally averages between 100-150 pounds this time of year."
The bear was alert when it was released into the wild, officials said.
It then quickly began feeding on a patch of berries.