After 2 years with a lid stuck on its neck, a Michigan black bear is finally free

DETROIT—Afterevadingauthoritiesonatwo-year-longmanhunt,anelusiveblackbearhasfinallybeencaughtinnorthernMichigan. Theyoungblackbear,whichhadbeencarryingalidstuckarounditsnecksince2023,wascapturedbystatewildlifebiologistsinMontmorencyCountyinearlyJune,theMichiganDepartmentofNaturalResourcesannouncedWednesday. Thebiologistsremovedthelid. “It’snotasupercommonoccurrence,butoccasionallywedogetliketrailcameraphotossubmittedtousofabearorotherwildlifewiththeirheadsstuckineitherlidsorcontainerssimilartothis,”CodyNorton,theDNR’sbear,furbearerandsmallgamespecialist,toldTheDetroitNews.“Alotoftimes,thoseanimalsmightbeinveryremoteareasandwemightnotbeabletocatchuptohim.” Thoughauthoritiesdon’tknowhowthemalebearcametogetitsheadstuckinthe5-inchholeofthelid,theylearneditwasablueplasticpiecesimilartothosethatfit55-gallondrumsusedbyhunterstobaitbearsorlandownerstostorematerialssuchaschickenfeedthatcanattracttheanimals.