Staff Reports
A surge of bear sightings in early September has caused quite a stir in Gallup.
The Gallup Police Department first warned the public in a Sept. 8 Facebook post after residents spotted a bear near the Canyon De Chelly area in the Indian Hills subdivision during the early morning hours. Shortly afterward, reports began circulating on social media about a mother bear and her cubs roaming the area.
On Sept. 12, around 10:15 a.m., dispatchers alerted Gallup Police, the McKinley County Sheriff’s Office, and the New Mexico State Police that a resident had spotted a bear near Junker Bridge. Minutes later, another sighting came in near Grandview Drive. Officers eventually located the bear near Ford Canyon Park and called the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish. A wildlife official humanely tranquilized the male bear, which officers plan to relocate to a safe environment far from Gallup.
However, that was not the only incident.
Around the same time officers located the bear at Ford Canyon Park, the McKinley County Sheriff’s Office received a call about a vehicle that had struck and killed a bear on Interstate 40 near mile marker 39, roughly 10 miles east of Gallup. The caller found the bear on the side of the road; the driver who hit the animal had already left the scene.
In an interview with the Sun, McKinley County Sheriff James Maiorano suggested that three different bears may have recently entered the local area: the bear captured at Ford Canyon Park, the bear killed on I-40, and the reported mother bear with her cubs.
It’s unconfirmed whether there were actually three bears in the area.
ENCOUNTERS AROUND THE REGION
Severe drought and hot weather has destroyed bears’ natural food supplies and habitats in the wild, so they have been coming into residential areas more frequently in the past few years.
On Sept. 13 around 2 am, a black bear attacked a 17-year-old girl in Durango, Colo. The bear reportedly ripped through a window screen, pushed open a cracked window, and climbed directly into her bedroom.
The teenager hid under her blankets as the bear sniffed her head. When she made a noise, the bear huffed and swiped at her stomach. The teen sat up screaming, which finally spooked the bear into retreating through the window. The teen treated three scratch marks herself and suffered a large bruise on her stomach.
Closer to home, a tragic bear attack claimed a life in Crystal, N.M., on Aug. 20. The bear broke into the home of 67-year-old Benjamin Halona and killed him. Navajo Nation Police officers and wildlife officials later tracked, shot, and killed the bear.
HOW TO STAY SAFE
If bears enter your neighborhood, follow these precautions to protect yourself and your property:
Secure Garbage: Store trash in bear-proof cans and place them curb-side only on the morning of pickup.
Clean Up Yards: Remove bird feeders during active bear seasons, and never leave pet food outside.
Manage Odors: Clean barbecue grills thoroughly and store scented items—such as sunscreen, lotion, or toiletries—securely indoors.
Protect Pets: Keep domestic animals inside or on a short leash.
If you encounter a bear, stay calm, avoid running, and quietly walk away. Blasting an air horn can also scare the animal off.
Report any bear sightings immediately to Metro Dispatch at (505) 722-2002 so authorities can keep the Department of Game and Fish informed.
