Bear cub with head stuck in plastic container rescued by park manager, shared on Instagram

A Pennsylvania park manager rescued a bear cub who got its head stuck inside a plastic container.

Sarah Lindgren, Manager of the Kettle Creek State Park, was driving through Cross Forks, a small village in northern Pennsylvania when she spotted the bear cub alone on the roadside, reported CNN. In a video shared by Sarah on social media, the cub can be seen lying motionless on the roadside with its head stuck in a plastic container.

Meet Olympia and Elbroch:Philadelphia Zoo welcomes two orphaned puma cubs rescued from Washington state

Lindgren told CNN that she initially thought the cub was dead. However, as she approached the animal, it lifted its head and looked towards her.

Bear!Daytona Beach woman about to walk dog gets quite a fright

Bear cub thought to be 8 months old

The park manager quickly got hold of the plastic container and started to pull it off, while trying to sooth the struggling cub. After about 10 seconds of tugging from both parties, the container finally came off and the cub's head was free. The frightened animal then slowly retreated and sat in the bushes while gathering itself.

“I highly doubt that it would have survived another day without intervention. It was very weak and dehydrated,” Lindgren told CNN. “Not only that, but it was right along a paved road with a steep bank down to a stream. I would have to think that it would have drowned in the stream when the container filled up, been hit by a car, or died of dehydration within a day.”

Lindgren added that the cub, who she believed was about 8 months old, eventually climbed up a tree to recover. She told CNN that she attempted to look for the cub's mother but did not find her.

However, she is hopeful that the cub will be able to survive on its own. Black bears typically leave their dens at around 3 months and are weaned from their mothers by 7 months, according to the Pennsylvania Game Commission.

Pennsylvania has witnessed an increase in its bear population in recent years, with an estimated 18,000 black bears living across three-quarters of Pennsylvania, according to the Pennsylvania Game Commission.

While it is possible for bears and human to co-exist peacefully, they are threatened by hunting, car accidents or being killed due to damage control or nuisance activity. Feeding bears is illegal in Pennsylvania and the game commission advises residents to prevent attracting bears by limiting food sources in the open and ensuring clean surroundings.

'Strange':California woman finds dead bear on her front lawn, collapsed after being hit by a car

'Dangerous':Black bear euthanized after attacking 7-year-old boy in New York

What to do if you spot a bear

Meanwhile, the National Park Service suggests keeping a few things in mind in case of an encounter:

• Talk in a low, steady voice and do not scream or otherwise act suddenly.
• Make yourself appear as large as possible.
• Travel in groups and pick up small children upon sighting a bear.
• If you encounter a bear in your own yard, do not leave the house. Ensure everyone is secure inside before banging pots or making other loud noises to scare the bear away.
• If you see cubs, be extra cautious. Mother bears are very protective of their young. Do not approach, touch or interact with cubs.