Doña Ana’s unexpected four-legged visitor has finally checked out of the neighborhood. A black bear that spent days drifting through yards, pecan trees, and the edges of a retirement community was safely captured Sunday night, ending a very unusual Mesilla Valley wildlife alert.
The bear was first reported Thursday after it was seen getting into a dumpster near the Evergreen Retirement Community, according to KFOX14. New Mexico State Police later established a perimeter around a nearby pecan orchard while conservation officers searched, but the animal initially managed to disappear. After more sightings, wildlife officials set a trap and caught the bear Sunday night.
Why The Bear Showed Up So Far South
The setting was strange, but the bear’s tree-climbing skills were not. The New Mexico Department of Wildlife says black bears are powerful climbers, and the state’s bears can range in color from black and brown to cinnamon, reddish and blonde.
Wildlife officials told KFOX14 the bear likely wandered toward Doña Ana County in search of food and water after an unusually dry spring and summer reduced natural food sources in its mountain habitat. Residents shared photos and surveillance video of it walking through yards and climbing pecan trees, while officials reported no injuries tied to the sightings.
Doña Ana Has Seen A Pecan-Orchard Bear Before
The valley’s pecan orchards have hosted an unexpected bear guest before. In 2010, KRWG reported that officers captured a 125-pound male black bear in a Garfield pecan orchard after officials believed it had wandered from the Black Range. That older case does not establish a broader trend, but it shows that the region’s irrigated agricultural pockets can become tempting stops for bears traveling outside their usual habitat.
What To Do If Another Bear Appears
The City of Albuquerque’s bear guidance says black bears are generally wary of people and usually try to avoid them. Residents should not run, should back away slowly, keep children and pets close, and avoid blocking the animal’s escape route.
Officials also urge residents to secure garbage, bring bird feeders inside at night, keep pet food indoors, clean barbecue grills, and pick ripe fruit while removing anything that has fallen. For now, Doña Ana’s bear saga has ended without reported injuries—and with residents able to look up at the pecan trees without wondering what might be looking back.
