A Man Thought He Saw A Distressed Beaver In The Mud, But After A Closer Look Realized His Mistake
It can be very easy to have a soft spot for animals. They are usually very pure and easy to root for when things aren't going their way. This story has a little bit of those things. You might want to prepare yourself for an adventure that will take you down every emotional path.
This is a true story about a man's genuine love for animals and the lengths he's willing to go to show it.
A Day That Started With Routine
It was a day that would change Jim Passmore's life forever. It was a day that he'll never forget. It was a day that started like any other.
He's a native of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, and loves to take walks. It was a crisp March morning, and he did what he always did — bring his dogs with him for a casual stroll through the forest. But, it wasn't going to be like any other stroll.
Jim Passmore
Jim loves nature, and he's lucky enough to have a lot of it in Broken Arrow. He's always been someone who can truly enjoy nature and all it has to offer. Rolling hills, crystal blue lakes, and some of the most beautiful vistas were everyday sights for these folks.
There are very few things he loves more than wildlife and scenic walks, but his dogs are definitely on that list. He loves dogs more than anything.
Out For A Walk
The trio — Jim and his two dogs — would frequent the same walking path regularly. However, Jim noticed something odd in the creek one day when he was taking a stroll.
He got closer, but it was incredibly hard to see exactly what they were looking at. It looked like a log floating out in the water. But as he took a better look at it, he could see some hair.
Some Animal Had Been Trapped
It looked like some type of animal had been trapped in the mud. Jim wasn't sure, so he got a little bit closer and he could see something struggling. It looked weak, but whatever it was had been stuck in the mud near the creek's bank.
Jim usually walks around the creek for a half hour a day, but on this day he was going to be there a lot longer than that.
Jim's Dogs Weren't Having It
As Jim approached the mystery mound, he noticed that his dogs began to start acting weird. These are two pups that have been acclimated to the area many times, so this was especially strange.
The dogs began to growl a deep, visceral growl. His dogs wouldn't let him walk closer to the mound. They seemed to be protecting him from something, but he didn't know what. His dogs started retreating from the scene.
The Stunning Find
He followed his intuition and pressed onward to figure out what was floating. First, he noticed an animal cage. Okay, that was weird, but it could help figure out what this animal was.
Jim's first thought was that it was a beaver. That would make sense. I mean, beaver's float in the water all the time. Surely it's just minding its own business and doing its own thing. But, the cage made that claim seem odd.
What He Found Gave Him Shivers
The cage looked like something you would transport animals in. So he peered inside of it to see if he could garner any more information about what the cage could've housed.
Maybe the beaver was using the cage as shelter, or maybe it was a few groundhogs using an abandoned cage as their home. The scenarios kept running through Jim's head. But, that wasn't the case at all. What Jim saw sent shivers through his spine.
It Was On Purpose
There were feces all over the ground of the cage. Jim also found a blanket that was incredibly dirty, and a weighted chain. This was the moment that Jim knew something wasn't right.
Someone had purposely done this. Someone had chained an animal to this cage and now it wasn't there. He saw a whole bunch of weird markings on the cage. There was a huge bite on the side of it.
Maybe It Was A Beaver?
Oddly enough, a beaver came out of the woods and startled Jim. So, he followed the beaver to the riverbed and it finally came to a halt.
He had no idea what he was doing, following the beaver, but he felt like he needed to do it. Just a couple of feet away from the beaver there was a struggling animal. It was the same mound that Jim had seen earlier.
Jim Followed His Gut
The dampness of the woods and the ground had become increasingly soft. Jim ventured forward and quickly saw that the animal was bigger than a beaver. It couldn't be a beaver.
The large creature seemed to be stuck in the mud and without thinking, Jim sprung into action. He had to help the poor critter out, but one thing kept playing in his mind — he still had no idea what this thing was.
He Was Going To Get It Out
Whatever it was, Jim was certain that he was going to get it out. He couldn't bear to leave a struggling animal fighting for its life.
Jim figured that if this was, in fact, a beaver, it would be incredibly territorial. While his gut feeling told him that it probably wasn't a giant beaver, he still needed to be aware of those teeth just in case it decided to get free and chomp him like a salad.
Could It Be Rabid?
Beavers usually bite humans when they have rabies too, so this whole situation could go from hero to zero very quick. Jim called over a few people to help him, and one of them ended up getting bit.
They rushed him to the hospital, but the rest of the team ended up staying put to try to get this animal out of the mud. Jim had to come up with a plan to avoid getting attacked again.
It Was Their Only Option
Jim realized that he had to cover the animal's head. He had no idea how long it had been in the creek for and it was surely alarmed by the number of people trying to get it out.
It quickly calmed down after the jersey was placed over its head. I mean, not going to lie, I would be freaking out even more if my vision was suddenly gone, but good for the animal.
They Needed A Plan
Jim needed a plan that could hoist the animal out of the water. They tried to dig around it, but since the animal was half submerged in the mud, it was incredibly difficult.
They needed a pulley system or some sort of crane. Unfortunately, there wasn't going to be a crane any time soon, so they would have to go with the pulley. They quickly realized there was a flaw, though.
The Plan Finally Worked
The mystery animal was refusing to budge. It seemed like it was truly stuck and had no plans of wanting to be free. But, they kept trying and eventually, they started to feel it getting looser.
This gave them a new sense of will to try even harder. They gave it one final yank, and the "beaver" was lifted to safety. But, as Jim wiped the animal's face, he stumbled backward.
This Was No Beaver
This was no giant beaver. This was no giant groundhog. This was a dog. Beneath the mud was a quivering, yet beautiful sheepdog. They weren't messing with a territorial beaver, they were dealing with a scared dog.
It looked like the dog had been there for quite some time, but was in relatively good shape considering all of the stuff that seemed to happen to it. So, how did it get there?
The Beaver Sidekick?
Jim called the police, and they were quick to the scene. What was so bizarre to Jim about this whole situation was that he was led to the dog by the actual beaver he met near the cage.
Was this dog being taken care of by the beaver? I mean, obviously, there isn't much a beaver can do for a dog, but it's cool to have a fantasy that they were buddies.
They Had A Main Priority
The more time the guys spent with the dog, the more they realized that it was in really poor condition. The dog was responsive at least a little bit.
The main priority was to keep the dog warm and comfortable. They would come to know the dog as Teddy. And by putting a blanket over it, they felt like Teddy was only going to get better in terms of his immediate health.
He Couldn't Walk
They knew that they had to get him to some professional treatment fast. But, Teddy was in no shape to be able to just wander or walk by himself.
They decided to use the resources that they had around them and grabbed a wheelbarrow. They weren't about to go and rushed back to their car. Teddy was obviously tired from the exhausting experience of constantly trying to get air while being stuck in the mud.
They Pooled Their Resources
Jim dialed up the Oklahoma Alliance for Animals (OAA) and the team worked quickly to get Teddy into their care. The team was warned that they would have their work cut out for them.
Teddy was still unreceptive to humans, and while the way that he ended up in the creek is unknown, there are credible theories. One theory was that he got hit by car, was injured, and his owner left him to die.
The Scenarios Were Sickening
Another was that his owner didn't want him any longer so he brought him out in a cage and tried to drown him. Jim couldn't stop thinking about the single blanket and weight that he found in the dog's cage.
They landed on the name Teddy because of his cuddly appearance. They would have to work on Teddy actually trusting humans again in order for him to act cuddly, but it was a work in progress.
The Dog Had Nine Lives
Teddy was a dog with multiple lives. He got lucky. The situation that he was put in was horrible. He had to fight for his life for a long period of time. But, the chances of someone actually finding him and taking the time to save him was incredible.
Also, he was very lucky that the Oklahoma Alliance for Animals took him in. They were able to find a place for him to stay instead of a shelter.
The Rescue Could've Resulted In Death
If a shelter had received the call for help, they probably would've euthanized him. Teddy ended up receiving the vet care that he needed. He was finally in stable condition.
In a panic, Teddy had bitten one of the people trying to save him. There was some concern that he might have rabies. After some thorough testing, it was determined that Teddy didn't have any rabies which was a relief.
It Was Taking Some Time
It took a couple of days for Teddy to fully get used to his pen at the OAA. Eventually, he warmed up to the workers. They administered pain medication that also helped him come back to a state of ease.
After some more testing, they realized that he was probably in a lot of pain which is why the medication was necessary. But, there was still a major problem that needed to be fixed.
His Biggest Hurdle
Teddy's vet chalked up his inability to gracefully move around as a reason to why he was unhealthy. He wasn't very active for a dog and became severely overweight., which only added to the problems he was already facing.
Overweight dogs are prone to joint, ligament, and bone problems, as well as internal organ dysfunction, high blood pressure, and diabetes. He was going to have an uphill battle to get back to health.
A Viral Sensation
But as Teddy's story started to get slightly viral, his health started improving. He went from being a sluggish pup that was unfriendly and wanted to be left alone to being playful and affectionate.
He really found a caring person in the receptionist at the OAA. Her name was Jessie. It was almost as if Teddy was excited he was finally getting famous. Well, doggy famous anyway, and probably not famous for the right reasons.
He Was A Senior Citizen
Teddy is a senior dog, and prospects for adoption for seniors are slimmer. Basically, despite the obvious drawbacks to adopting an older dog, there are some benefits.
For one, you know they're not going to be getting any bigger. Two, their behavior isn't going to change all that much. And three, they're typically less likely to bite and can be docile and affectionate. They're usually better for a young family.
Thanks, OAA
But, thanks to the OAA, Teddy was in good hands. It's very common for shelters to advertise their residents on social media. It's a cheap way for shelters, which are often strapped for funding, to begin with, to promote themselves and the animals they care for.
The OAA actively campaigns to reduce the number of animals euthanized every year. They also give cheap spaying and neutering procedures to the public.
The Stats Are Haunting
In the United States, about six million animals are processed into the shelter system every single year. Of those, about three million are dogs. The sheer volume of strays presents a problem for many shelter spaces.
Mix the lack of space and the low adoption rates and you have a problem that really only has one solution. Shelters end up euthanizing about 700,000 dogs every single year which is incredibly sad.
Where Is He Now?
Teddy was adopted! On Teddy's new official Facebook account, this amazing update was posted. "Teddy was adopted by one of the only people he liked at Alta Vista Animal Hospital while staying there. He was a bit on the cranky side when he first arrived at the clinic, but now lives in his new home with his momma Jessie and other dogs." We saw her picture a little earlier.
Teddy is now in a loving home surrounded by his new family, and he looks so happy in all of their update photos. Here they are, enjoying the great outdoors together.
He's Living His Best Life
Teddy's new family recently shared this adorable update photo of him enjoying the great outdoors. It said, "Sunsets and rainbows here this evening! We've all been running [around] since we got home from work!" Teddy looks totally worn out in that good, happy way that dogs get after running around.
Teddy's new family is blessed to have him, and he's so lucky that he was given another chance at a great life.
Fishermen Do The Unthinkable When They See Baby Bears Abandoned By Their Mother
Nature can be very cruel. Take, for instance, this story of a momma bear who was forced to leave her cubs to drown in a freezing lake. You've undoubtedly heard countless stories of mothers in nature giving their lives to protect their young. Sadly, that was not what happened here. Just like with humans, animals are sometimes just not able to provide for their young.
But luckily enough, some fishermen were nearby, and they couldn’t believe what they saw. But did they act to save the baby cubs or did they let destiny decide their fate? Keep reading to find out!
Our Story Is About Love
The story you are about to read is about love. Love comes in many shapes and sizes, but when it hits you, it's undeniable. This momma bear loved her cubs. Heartbreakingly, she faced a situation where she had to choose between her own life and those of her dear babies. She did what she had to in order to save her own hide.
The fishermen in this story probably experienced love before coming across these desperate bear cubs. Still, you don’t always know who, or what, you might fall in love with until it happens. Hope may have seemed lost for these cubs, but newfound love may have saved them.
Our Setting, Where Man Truly Meets Nature, Is Russia
Of course, our story takes place in Russia! Where else would men interact with the wild so freely? Specifically, our heroes were out fishing on Lake Vygozero. Located in the northwestern part of Russia, the freshwater lake can reach temperatures as low as negative four degrees Fahrenheit!
The large lake is extremely dangerous for fishermen if they fall in. It is also deadly for any wildlife who decides to take a dip. Something made this momma bear think she could cross the lake with cubs. Our best guess: she was desperate to find food. Little did she know, she might not have a family at the end of the day.
In This Case, Curiosity Nearly Killed The Bear
Nature is wild! Okay, that's an obvious statement, but we’re still at a loss for what possessed this mom to try and swim across a giant freezing lake with her cubs. Whatever the reason was, she thought they would make it across.
Spoiler alert; she made it across. Her cubs, on the other hand, weren’t so lucky. As we said, the bears may have been starving and getting to the other side of the lake was the answer. Nature may be wild, but there is always logic behind what we think is crazy. Coming up, the bears get swept away, but how do they get separated?
The Moment You've Been Waiting For, A True Act Of Chaos
Let's dive into our story now. This momma bear was raising her cubs, but she hadn’t taught them to swim yet. Still, in order to survive, the family needed to venture across Lake Vygozero. The cubs hung onto their mother for dear life. Sadly, she realized quickly that not one of them would survive if she couldn’t shake them loose.
The decision couldn’t have been easy. Survival isn’t easy though, and this mother wasn’t about to go down with her ship. Did she know she was signing a death warrant for her cubs? She literally put them in a sink or swim situation!
The Moment Of Separation
No one could have seen the shocking moment when our momma bear let her cubs go. The heartbreaking moment goes against everything we thought we knew about nature. The truth is there is more to this story than meets the eye.
Numerous factors were responsible for the decision this mother was forced to make. Sadly yes, she was forced to let her cubs possibly die. The reason might surprise you. You'll have to keep reading to find out what it was!
The Current Was The True Enemy
Perhaps our momma bear underestimated the current of Lake Vygozero when she decided to swim across with her cubs. The lake is large, but we imagine she had made the journey before. On this fateful day, however, the lake current was too strong.
Despite her best efforts, she just couldn't hold onto her cubs. She didn’t shake them off or force them loose. The strength of the current forced the family to be separated. It couldn’t have been easy to abandon her cubs, but it would have been impossible to swim back and save them.
What's A Cub To Do?
Alone and scared, these bear cubs let their survival instincts kick in. Their mom never got the chance to teach them how to swim, but they thrashed around until they figured it out. Treading water and swimming are two different things, though, and these cubs only figured out part one of survival.
Hope looked bleak. They were losing energy fast and could barely see their mother. Eventually, they would run out of energy and submit to the freezing water around them. Before that, luckily, a miracle happened.
All Hope Isn't Lost
Hope no longer seemed bleak for these cubs, it seemed lost. As their mother continued to get farther away, it became clear they were on their own. Obviously, it would be impossible to know what these bears were thinking. We're not bears, but it is interesting to speculate.
How close were they to giving up? Exhaustion was setting in, and they didn’t have much gas left in their tanks. With all lost, fate stepped in. The dire tides these cubs were drowning in were about to change in their favor.
A Metal Hero Arrives
On the brink of giving up, fate stepped into our little bear cubs' lives. In the distance, they spotted a metal hero: a fishing boat. If they could speak, they’d have been yelling, "help!"
No yelling was needed, the crew on the boat spotted the bears in the distance, too. They also spotted the bears mother swimming away. They were hesitant to intervene but knew they might be the cubs only chance to live. It helped that the bears had begun swimming towards them.
Another Day On The Job Suddenly Gets Interesting
The boat the bear cubs were swimming to was a fishing boat. The fishermen on board knew they had a job to do, but also knew these bears were in grave danger. What were they supposed to do, ignore the drowning bears and keep fishing?
They could have, but they didn't. Remember, this is a story about love, and these fishermen loved nature. Putting a days pay on the line, they made up their minds to save the cubs. There was just one problem…
A Mother Of A Problem
With their minds made up to help the bear cubs, the fishermen on the boat just needed to get past one big obstacle. The momma bear may have had to abandon her cubs, but she was still in the water, and still close enough to turn around and make a mess of the boat.
Our heroes were forced to wait. They needed to make sure the cubs' mother was far enough away before they could start their rescue. It’s a good thing they still needed to come up with a plan!
Baby Bears Make Their Own Rescue Plan
Before the fishermen had a plan of their own, our baby bears did the unthinkable; they came up with their own plan. Yep, these cubs knew their best chance for rescue, and they took it.
They didn't know that the fishermen on the boat were trying to wait for the all-clear from the momma bear. The truth was these fishermen were their only hope, so they swam to them. Just like the beginning of our story, when these bears got the boat, they hung on for dear life.
This Is Why Camera Phones Were Invented
Amidst the chaos, one of the fishermen did the obvious and grabbed his smartphone. Rescuing baby bears from drowning is a once in a lifetime experience. He waited for the right moment to start filming. He needed to make sure the baby bears were ready for their closeup!
Finally, the cubs got close enough to begin filming. You can see from the picture above how cute these little guys are! We wouldn't have let them drown either! With the camera rolling, the daring rescue was in full effect. Once the cubs grabbed onto the boat, there was no turning back!
The Fishermen Come Up With A Plan
As it turns out, the cubs' rescue plan went as far as getting to the boat. Once there they tried to get on, only too realize the side of the boat was too high and they were too exhausted. One of the fishermen came up with an interesting plan on the spot to help.
He grabbed all the fishing supplies on the boat to see if there was anything he could use to help aid the bears in their journey. A fishing net seemed the most logical, but also came with several issues. We’ll get to those later when the net comes into play.
When In Doubt, Use Your Mouth!
Survival instinct had served the baby bears well so far. Good for them, their instinct had one more trick up its sleeve! As the fishermen were running out of time, the cubs began using their teeth to grab hold of anything they could hang onto.
Running on fumes, using their teeth to anchor into the boat worked! It may have saved these bears' lives too! Being able to conserve some energy bough the fishermen more time to figure out how to get them onto the boat with getting hurt or mauled. These bears needed rescuing, but they were still wild animals!
A Good Plan Only Goes So Far
So here we are, baby bears anchored to the fishing boat and fishermen desperately trying to figure out how to haul them to safety. It would have been easy to give up and push the bears back into the water, but these fishermen's hearts weren’t that cold. Also, the bears had made it this far; they deserved to be rescued!
Still, they couldn’t just reach out and pull the bear cubs into the boat. Besides no one on the boat being strong enough, none of the fishermen were brave enough to put their arm in mouth reach of these wild animals. That is until they locked eyes with each other.
The Eyes Are The Windows To The Soul
As man and bear locked eyes with each other, it was clear who was in danger and needed saving. One look into the desperate eyes of these cubs and any fear the fishermen had disappeared. Everyone knew that even if these bears were safe on the boat, they would not act out against their saviors.
The eyes are the windows to the soul. It doesn't matter who is looking at what, these bears revealed themselves to the fishermen. Now it was time for the fishermen to reveal their hidden bravery to the bears!
A New, Even Better Plan Is Hatched
Going back to the beginning, the fishermen looked at the supplies they had with them. Fishing rods? Useless! Fishing nets? Now that could work! The cubs were already holding onto the boat, so giving them a little push seemed like the perfect plan.
Every plan, however, comes with problems to solve. Would the fishing nets be long enough to reach the bears? More importantly, would the fishing nets be strong enough to boost the bears up? This was the plan, and there was no turning back.
Running Out Of Time
Plan in place, the fishermen were quickly running out of time to save the cubs. They had been out on the water swimming and hanging on for what seemed liked hours. This plan had to work. There was no time for another plan to concocted.
They would know right away if the fishing nets would be strong enough to save the bears. It was a longshot, but there were no other shots. For these bears, the situation had become do or die, and these fishermen were not about to let them die.
Easier Said Than Done?
The fishermen acted quickly to get one of their nets under the first cub. The second cub was still in the water, fighting to get to the boat and hang on. As our heroes used the net to hoist the bear, a few things became clear.
First, the net was strong enough! It did not snap underneath the weight of this baby beast. Second, they were about to pull a wild animal on board a boat with strangers that it might think are poachers!
How To Calm The Mighty Beast
Bringing one of the most dangerous animals in the wild onto a small fishing boat is not a safe activity. The first bear cub, as exhausted as he was, could easily act out once on the boat. If he perceived the fishermen as a threat, there is no doubt he could find the energy to defend himself.
To calm the bears, the fishermen used an age-old tactic you might recognize from your infant days. They talked to the animals in soothing voices, assuring them that there was no danger aboard, only safe harbor. The bear understood but was slowly losing energy and becoming heavier to hoist.
Heavy Lifting To The Max
How daunting was the task these fishermen were trying to accomplish? A full-grown bear can weigh up to 1,700 pounds. A newborn can weigh as little as one pound. These cubs were somewhere in between, and their fur was full of water.
The brave fishermen saving these cubs were having their endurance limits tested, that's for sure! That didn’t stop them, though. Using every ounce of strength they had, they hoisted the first bear. It wasn’t easy, and it took awhile, but as you’re about to see, the effort was well worth it!
One Bear In The Boat!
With the fishing net holding firm, the fishermen gave the cub one last big push! He was saved and finally able to relax. This bear would live to see another day! Everyone was happy, but there was no time to celebrate. Don't forget; there was another bear in the water running out of energy!
The good news was they had proved to themselves they could do the impossible. The bad news was the second cub wasn’t at the boat yet and would take even more energy to save.
Adjusting A Winning Formula
The tricky thing about saving the second cub wasn't getting him into the boat. The fishermen knew how to do that. The first thing they had to do was get to the baby bear in the first place. Once there, they needed to figure out how to get the cub to the side of the boat so they could bring him on board.
This was no easy task. They moved the boat close to the cub, who was too weak to grab on for safety. Once there, they put the net under the hope and prayed it would work again, this time supporting the entire weight of the bear!
Brothers Reunited At Last
The second bear cub felt heavier than his brother. The fishermen placed the net under him in the water and dragged him to the boat. After this, his rescue was the same; he latched on and the fishermen used every last ounce of strength they had to hoist him to safety.
The brothers were reunited, but far too tired to celebrate. Their saviors couldn't celebrate yet either. They had saved the baby cubs, but their mother had abandoned them.
Not Rescued Just Yet
Now safely onboard, it became clear this rescue mission was far from over. The bear cubs were shaking uncontrollably. They were freezing and scared with no mother to comfort them. Worse, they didn't have much contact with humans before now and had no idea what intentions their heroes might really have.
As we know, the bears were in no danger from the fishermen. For these cubs, though, this experience happened as they were still learning how the world worked. To this point, it didn’t seem very nice! Of course, things would get better once the fishermen figured out how to get them to shore.
Bears Don't Make Good Pets
The biggest issue facing these bear cubs was what to do with them. Their mom was gone, and bears aren't the best domestic pets. Still, they had grown on the fishermen, who were heartbroken to see them shaking and scared.
The decision wasn’t easy for the fishermen, but they decided they needed to return the cubs to land and let them fend for themselves. Hopefully, their mother had taught them enough survival skills to make it! There was always the chance they would be reunited with their mother.
Finding The Perfect Spot To Say Goodbye
The fishermen had an idea for the perfect spot to drop their new friends off. They knew their mom couldn't be too far away. They just had to figure out which island she ended up on. If they could return the bears to that island, then maybe she would come back for her kids.
They looked around them at all the islands and made their best guess as to where they last saw the mother. Just like the rescue, the percentages were not in their favor, but they knew it was a chance they had to take.
Arriving At The Island
As they approached the island, everyone held their breath. Would their mom be waiting for them? Was this even the right island? Were the fishermen safe if their mom was there? All of these questions would get answered, but not without plenty of drama beforehand.
If they did get the bears to the island and their mom was there, there is no way she would think they were doing the right thing. Her instincts would tell her to protect her children, even at the expense of their saviors. Nerves were high as the boat pulled up.
Is Mother There To Greet Them?
The fishermen waited at the island before leaving the boat to see if the cubs' mother would show up. They waited. And waited. Finally, it became clear that it was safe for them to drop the bears off, except the bears weren’t ready to say goodbye.
During the rescue, the bears and fishermen had grown fond of each other. Love from the fishermen had saved the bears, and now the bears didn’t want to go. More accurately, the bears couldn’t go, they were still too weak. The fishermen knew their mother could show up any minute though, and used one last heroic gesture to send the bears back off into the wild.
The Best Kind Of Carrying
Until now, the fishermen had done very little physical handling of the bear cubs. With the poor things too exhausted to move, though, the time for diplomacy was dead. Working against the clock, the fishermen picked up the bears and carried them off the boat onto the island.
The bears, now safely on dry land, still had a fight ahead of them, but for the moment were alive. It wasn't easy to say goodbye, but the fishermen knew they had to. They were from different worlds, even if love had brought them together for a few hours.
The Risk Was Worth The Reward
Let's consider the facts. If you were on a boat and saw two of the most dangerous animals in the wild drowning, would you help? It’s a tough question to answer, and these fishermen found the bravery within themselves to do the right thing.
Bears might have a violent reputation, but also mostly keep to themselves, away from humans. Instead of turning their back, these heroes gave these bears a chance to survive at great risk to themselves. The reward they received, the bond formed that will last a lifetime, was worth every life-threatening second!
The Future Is Full Of Possibilities
Unfortunately, we have no idea if these cubs were reunited with their mother. Once the fishermen left, the story ended. Maybe one day the fishermen will return and give us an update on their friends. For now, we just have to believe that fate saved these bears for a reason, whatever that may be.
Survival is a struggle for bears. According to research, six of the eight species of bear alive are considered endangered. With these two bears still alive, there is hope for the future of these animals, and hope is a beautiful thing!
