Bear’s Halloween Candy Feast at Alaska Hospital

A black bear in Alaska decided to indulge in Halloween treats a bit early this year. On October 12, instead of waiting for the actual holiday, this bear found its way into a hospital on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson near Anchorage.

The unusual visitor arrived around 2 a.m. and walked through the hospital’s emergency department. It eventually discovered a bucket of donated Halloween candy. The bear helped itself to the sweets, preferring the candy over any other option.

Sherri Warnke, visiting her mother at the hospital, encountered the bear in a dimly lit hallway. She was about 30 feet away without a hospital badge, which meant all doors were locked. She found herself trapped with the bear but managed to back away slowly.

The bear’s presence was soon announced over the hospital intercom, yet some staff members ventured out to capture photographs. Thankfully, Warnke exited safely. The bear left through the same entrance it used to get in, without causing harm to anyone.

Hospital staff later showed Warnke a surveillance image of the bear standing at the emergency department reception desk, amusingly noting it appeared to be checking in.

With winter coming, bears are busy preparing for hibernation by eating more. They often consume salmon, forage in dumpsters, and search for berries. This bear, however, seemed to have a taste for candy and found the perfect stash.