Bear roams Rio Rancho neighborhood, wildlife officials plan relocation
A bear crossed alleys and yards in Enchanted Hills before Game and Fish said it would be moved to northern New Mexico.
Rio Rancho residents woke up Wednesday to a bear roaming the Enchanted Hills neighborhood, and video shared with KOB 4 showed it walking through alleys, exploring yards and balancing along property walls. The same bear was also spotted at an apartment complex near Safelite and Highway 550.
New Mexico Game and Fish said the bear would be relocated to northern New Mexico. That response came as local coverage described the Rio Rancho sightings as part of a broader trend of bears roaming closer to homes, and as wildlife officials again urged residents to stay "bear aware" heading into summer.
For anyone who sees a black bear in Rio Rancho, the immediate advice is to keep distance and avoid escalating the encounter. Federal and state bear-safety guidance says never run or turn your back on the animal, back away slowly, and if the bear approaches, make yourself big and make loud noises. The goal is to give the animal a clear exit and avoid drawing it closer to people, pets or homes.
The concern in Sandoval County is not limited to one neighborhood. An Albuquerque wildlife factsheet says black bears are New Mexico’s state animal and the only bear species living in the state. It says several thousand black bears remain in wooded areas across New Mexico, and the state issues hundreds of kill permits each year, underscoring how often bear management becomes part of life near the urban edge and foothills.
KOAT previously described the increase in sightings as "that time of year when bear sightings increase," a pattern wildlife officials have tied to late spring and early summer activity. In Rio Rancho, that means residents near Enchanted Hills, Highway 550 and other neighborhoods on the city’s northern side should be alert when walking dogs, letting children outside or encountering a bear in an alley, yard or wall line.
Sandoval County maintains an animal-control page for residents looking for local guidance after a sighting. For now, the bear’s appearance in Enchanted Hills is a reminder that wildlife can move quickly through residential corridors, and that the safest response is calm, distance and a prompt call to the right local officials.
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