The Unusual Appearance of a Black Bear Amazes Beachgoers in Florida, USA.
A crowd of beachgoers in Destin, Florida was shocked and delighted when they discovered a young black bear casually soaking in the bay on June 11.
A witness told Al.com that initially, people were quite confused by the bear’s appearance, but then we all found it fascinating. Jennifer Majors Smith, who shared several clips of the encounter on Facebook, said: “We were all shocked and amazed at what we saw. But everyone was also thrilled to see the bear safe in the water.”
Captain Chris Kirby told The Post on the evening of June 12 that he had seen two bears swimming in the bay over 30 years ago. “It’s not uncommon, as I’ve heard stories about bears swimming around the bay,” he noted.
However, watching the bear move among the people swimming on the beach surprised Chris Kirby. “The bear might be a bit curious, which is why it swam close to the swimmers,” Kirby said.
A black bear appears near swimmers in Destin.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) stated that this time of year, young bears like the one spotted in Destin may leave their homes and mothers to explore new areas in search of a new home. These young bears may venture into the bay in search of food on the islands.
According to the FWC, while seeing a bear swimming in the shallow waters of a crowded beach is unusual, it’s not uncommon to hear about black bears swimming in the bay on their way to barrier islands in search of food.
Generally, young bears will move on their own. If you see a bear, give it plenty of space, do not try to approach it, and never feed it. If a bear cannot find food, it will move on.
