WANNASKA, Minn. — A bear that tried to spend the winter in a culvert outside of Wannaska in northwestern Minnesota's Roseau County had to be rescued Monday morning when the culvert filled with melting snow and the bear couldn't get out of a deep snow drift.
The big bruin apparently had been hibernating in the culvert under a road, not uncommon for bears. But the bear wasn't able to free itself from deep snow and needed a little help from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.
Andrew Tri, DNR bear biologist, said he got the call from local DNR wildlife officials Sunday who responded to reports from the public that the bear appeared in distress.