Bear found ‘lodged’ in ceiling of Virginia business. Getting it down took ingenuity

A bear defied logic and gravity to somehow get stuck in the ceiling of a western Virginia manufacturing plant, according to the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources.

It happened June 4 in Pulaski County, and photos shared on Facebook show the bear precariously perched 20 feet up without any nearby stairs or a ladder.

The predicament presented multiple threats to plant staff, including the possibilities it might fall on someone and/or need to go to the bathroom.

“After assessing the situation, it was apparent to staff that given the location of the bear, odds were low that it would soon safely leave on its own,” state wildlife officials said.

“Considering the plant’s production needs, (it was) decided that the best course of action would be to immobilize the bear and remove it from the area.”

The business was identified as a Volvo manufacturing plant by TV station WDBJ, and employees reported on social media they were told to stay in the cafeteria during the bear’s removal process.

State biologists used a “chemical immobilization dart” to subdue the bear, then they borrowed some of the plant’s heavy equipment to get it down safely, including a fork lift.

The bear was then hauled away to “a suitable site for release.” A health check was also done — the animal apparently made it through the ordeal without injuries, officials said.

Bears are known for getting “treed” but typically find their own way out of such problems, officials said.

“In this particular situation, the bear was given time to leave, but because of the large number of plant employees on site during the work day, the interruption to plant operations, and potential safety risk to both the bear and humans, DWR determined that safe removal was the best course of action,” officials said.

The state’s post has gotten more than 1,000 reactions and comments, with plenty of bad bear puns.

“My question is, how did it get up there in the first place. I’m impressed with that bear,” one user posted on the state’s Facebook page.

State officials offered no explanation as to how the bear might have gotten up to the rafters.

This story was originally published June 9, 2021 at 5:30 PM with the headline "Bear found ‘lodged’ in ceiling of Virginia business. Getting it down took ingenuity."