Rescuers outside of Truckee, California pulled a bear to safety after he was spotted hanging from a bridge near the Donner Summit.

Images

Dan Olsen with Truckee Animal Control took a series of photographs that tell the story of the incredible rescue, which happened last week.

Witnesses said the bear was walking across the Rainbow Bridge when a car drove by and scared him, so he hopped over the safety wall. The bear spent the night under the span, hanging onto a concrete support beam.

About a dozen volunteers converged at the bridge to help the panicked giant. They hung a huge net under the bridge, tranquilized the bear then pushed him into the net.

The volunteers lowered the net down to the ground. After the tranquilizer wore off, the bear woke up and walked away.