BEAR RESCUED AFTER GETTING BLUE BARREL STUCK ON HEAD<br />WITH PIX AND VID<br />By Shuk Yee Tsang<br />A young brown bear was rescued after being found wandering blindly through the forest with a blue barrel stuck on her head.<br />The dramatic incident took place at Hipparion Trails in Gheorgheni, Romania, where the distressed female bear, around two and a half years old, stumbled onto the property during one of the centre’s tours.<br />Witnesses said the bear, unable to see or breathe properly, ran into fences and trees as she tried to free herself. <br />Staff immediately alerted veterinarians, rangers, and wildlife agencies, but due to the remote mountain terrain, help took time to arrive.<br />Tour guide Elöd and staff member Arpad spent hours tracking the animal until rangers equipped with night-vision cameras finally located her. <br />The barrel was so tightly wedged that it had to be carefully sawed off.<br />The rescue, which was fully funded by Hipparion Trails, ended successfully when the bear ran safely back into the forest by morning.<br />Katrin Heigle on behalf of Hipparion Trails said: “During one of our tours, our guests and a guide encountered a young female brown bear,<br />“Approximately 2.5 years old, wandering onto our property with a barrel stuck on her head. <br />"Completely blinded by the barrel, the bear ran repeatedly into fences, trees, and other obstacles, causing damage and clearly struggling to breathe and move.<br />“Recognizing the immediate danger to the bear, we quickly contacted authorities, veterinarians, and wildlife agencies.<br />" Unfortunately, due to the remote mountain location of our property, help was slow to arrive.<br />“Our tour guide Elöd and staff member Arpad tirelessly assisted in the search, and eventually, two rangers equipped with night-vision cameras were able to locate the bear. <br />"The barrel was tightly stuck and had to be carefully removed with a saw.<br />“The rescue was successful, and the bear disappeared safely the following morning.<br />" We have not seen her since, and we trust she will continue to avoid human contact.<br />“This operation was fully funded by us, as official authorities were unable to provide support. <br />"We are grateful to have been able to help save this young bear and ensure her safety.”<br />END
