Wildlife Experts Help Florida Bear Whose Head Was Stuck In Plastic Container For Nearly A Month

MIAMI (CBSMiami) – The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is celebrating the successful rescue of a Florida bear that was spotted wandering around with a plastic container on its head, but then disappeared.

Three weeks later, the 250-pound bear was spotted again on a security camera with the container still on her head in the Golden Gate Estates in Collier County.

FWC officials said new traps and night patrols were set up in an effort to capture the bear and free it from the plastic container.

The bear was finally caught with help of a bear biologist who removed what appeared to be part of a pet feeder from her head.

Luckily, there was a hole in the plastic container that provided enough access to drink and eat so the bear was still in great physical shape even though it had been on its head for nearly a month.

The staff did clean a wound around the bear's neck, treated her with antibiotics, and then released her into Picayune Strand State Forest.