Chaotic video from New Mexico where the Santa Fe Police Department and the New Mexico Department of Wildlife responded to a black bear on the grounds of a Santa Fe elementary school on August 13th.

Whoever runs the social media account for the New Mexico Department of Wildlife has a pretty good sense of humor as they chose the Pirates of the Caribbean theme song to accompany the chaotic chase scene including an officer pulling of his baseball hat and throwing it at the bear in attempt to drive it away from the school. The joint response ended in a successful capture and rerelease:

“We’re grateful to everyone who helped by keeping kids and small pets indoors while the capture took place. The bear has since been relocated to a wilderness area.” -New Mexico Department of Wildlife

There has been an increase in the number of bears involved in human-bear encounters throughout New Mexico in 2026 indicating a temporary response to a combination of environmental and habitat conditions.

“Low moisture and high temperatures have impacted various mast crops such as nuts, seeds, berries and fruits that bears rely on to survive in their natural habitat. As a result, bears are forced to stray from their habitat to find food. This leads them into populated areas, where potential food and water sources are more plentiful.”

New Mexico residents can help prevent these occurrences and keep people and bears safe by following some simple precautions, being aware of your surroundings and knowing what to do if you find yourself encountering a bear.

How do I prevent a bear encounter? 

The best way to prevent an encounter with a bear is to eliminate attractants from your yard or campsite and take proper precautions when recreating outdoors. Some helpful tips to keep yourself safe (and keep bears wild) include: 

  • Secure food, scented items and garbage to avoid attracting bears. 
  • Remove fallen fruit, pet food and bird feeders from areas accessible to bears. 
  • Hike in groups and make noise so you don’t catch a bear by surprise. 
  • Keep children close and keep pets leashed when outdoors. 
  • Never feed or intentionally approach a bear. 

What if I encounter a bear? 

If you encounter a bear, remain calm and do not run. Give the bear plenty of room to move away and slowly back away while facing the bear. 

  • Make yourself look large and speak in a calm but loud voice. 
  • Give the bear an escape route. Never corner or approach it. 
  • Never get between a mother bear and her cubs.
  • If a black bear attacks, fight back aggressively using anything you can find. 

Remember, most bears want to avoid people. Giving them space and allowing them to move away can help prevent an encounter from becoming an attack. 

Tim Konrad is the founder and publisher of Unofficial Networks, a leading platform for skiing, snowboarding, and outdoor adventure. With over 20 years in the ski industry, Tim’s global ski explorations...