This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2014, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Ringwood, N.J. • A frightened bear cub got its head stuck in an oversized cookie jar while rummaging through some trash and had to be rescued from a tree in New Jersey.
Environmental Protection Department spokesman Larry Ragonese says the 6-month-old cub found the jar of animal crackers Friday night in Ringwood, near the New York border. As the 28-pound animal tried to eat what remained in the jar, he pulled it over his head and it got stuck. The cub became spooked when approached and climbed up a tree but got wedged about 40 feet up. Department staffers arranged netting in case the bear fell. After the animal was tranquilized by a biologist, it was brought down and firefighters gingerly cut the jar off its head.