Curtis Pirie experienced a surprising encounter when he spotted a bear with a stove pipe stuck on its head while dealing with a loose bike chain in Oliver, B.C. His wife had shown him a photo of the bear on social media just an hour before the sighting. Initially taken aback by the animal’s presence in an orchard, Pirie recognized it as the same bear his wife had mentioned.
In an attempt to help the bear, Pirie and his neighbor tried to remove the pipe from its head but were unsuccessful. The bear then climbed a tree, prompting Pirie’s wife to contact the B.C. Conservation Officer Service. After the arrival of conservation officers from Kelowna, the bear was tranquilized and safely brought down from the tree. The officers successfully removed the pipe from the bear’s head.
The Conservation Officer Service had been receiving reports about the bear for about ten days prior to the rescue. The bear had been spotted in the Fairview Road area, showing signs of distress by colliding with vehicles and structures. Despite appearing thin, the bear was deemed healthy and was relocated back to the woods near Oliver after the rescue operation.
Sgt. James Zucchelli emphasized the importance of keeping attractants away to prevent such incidents and encouraged the public to report any animals in distress to the conservation service.