A bear near Gladstone, New Mexico climbed a utility pole last week, probably trying to escape traffic or people, and couldn't get down safely.

Rescuers were called.

Bystanders watched.

Before anyone could act, the bear was electrocuted.

This didn't have to happen. Wildlife-safe pole covers, insulated guards, and climbing deterrents have been available for years. Utilities in other states have already adopted them. They protect birds, bears, and other animals from electrocution, and they prevent the power outages that cost ratepayers money.

New Mexico's bears are navigating a landscape that was never built with them in mind. Highways, expanding neighborhoods, and utility lines cut through their habitat, creating deadly traps. When a frightened bear mistakes a power pole for a tree, the result can be exactly what happened near Gladstone: a painful death while people stood watching helplessly.

The New Mexico Public Regulation Commission has the authority to require utilities like PNM to adopt wildlife-safe infrastructure standards. This is a proven fix — not an untested idea. Other states have already made it the norm. The technology exists. The only thing missing is the requirement.

Sign this petition to demand the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission require wildlife guards on power poles — so no bear, eagle, or other animal has to die this way again.