In the northern village of Dikson, located in the Krasnoyarsk Territory, a polar bear endured more than a day with a condensed milk jar stuck in its mouth. A delegation of specialists was dispatched from Moscow, led by the chief veterinarian of the capital’s zoo, to assist. The wounded survivor is receiving care as the team works toward recovery.
“Successful. It was recorded. They pulled a jar out of the white bear’s mouth!” announced Svetlana Radionova, the head of Rosprirodnadzor, on the Telegram channel.
The incident came to light on the morning of July 20. Radionova explained on her Telegram channel that the animal had come to help people in the Dixon village because a jar became lodged. A working group was formed to rescue the bear, and Moscow veterinarians began a special operation.
Baza later reported that the plan was to use an anesthetic to remove the jar. It emerged, however, that the sleeping-pill bottle intended for the procedure could not be found. There were no carbon dioxide cylinders in Norilsk, and transporting them by plane was prohibited.
Time against the vets
During the critical hours, the bear moved away from people and it was suspected to be dehydrated.
According to the Mash Telegram channel, veterinarians intended to immobilize the bear, remove the jar, treat the wound, and relocate the animal to a safe distance. The report also noted the risk that the bear, weighing around 50 kilograms of fish, would not be easily captured again.
Later, winds exceeding 20 meters per second were recorded as the helicopter team prepared to fly toward Dikson. Bad weather caused a delay, but the flight eventually commenced, taking roughly four hours to reach the northern area.
And not a bear
A few hours later, Norilsk Nickel’s Telegram channel reported that at 20:00 local time (16:00 Moscow time) the bear was located near Dikson Airport. The head veterinarian of the Moscow Zoo, together with staff, tracked the animal and administered a fast-acting sedative on the first attempt. Ten minutes later the jar was removed, and the tongue’s multiple cuts were treated. The bear was identified as a young male, weighing approximately 80 to 90 kilograms.
“The plan is to transport the bear by helicopter and then release it back into its natural habitat,” stated Konstantin Veresov, a representative of Norilsk Nickel’s Polar Division.
Polar bears are listed in the International Red Book and the Red Book of Russia. Current global estimates place their population around 22,000 to 31,000 individuals.