Bear opens residential gate in Northern New Mexico
A viewer in Arroyo Seco sent KOAT incredible footage of a bear opening a gate, while on two legs
ARROYO SECO, N.M. —
This is a reminder never to underestimate bears.
A resident in Arroyo Seco Village, just north of Taos, sent us this video of security camera footage of a bear standing up on two feet and opening a gate.
You can see the door fling open and the bear standing right behind it.
This has not been the only encounter we’ve seen this summer. In the past several weeks, Albuquerque, Santa Fe and other major towns across the state have seen an uptick in sightings.
According to New Mexico’s Department of Wildlife, it has been an extremely dry and warm year. That’s forced bears out of the mountains and into neighborhoods for food and water.
Wildlife officials said once a bear finds food or water in the area, they tend to keep coming back.
NMDOW to lock up your food, water and trash, store bird feeders for now, and bear-proof your home. That includes sliding glass doors that bears tend to use to get into homes.
Never feed or approach a bear. If you encounter one, stay calm, do not run, and slowly back away, and never come between a mother and her cubs.
