Mother Nature cannot be outdone for sheer majestic beauty. From the flora and fauna to the many gorgeous animals that roam this planet, nature is responsible for some of the most stunning sights on the planet.
And perhaps most beautiful of all is watching a graceful, powerful animal, like a mama bear, in motion as she carries her cubs on her back across a body of water, especially when you get to witness such a singular spectacle in slow motion!
This miraculous video opens with a wildlife photographer in the Alaskan wilderness getting ready to film one of the most astounding sites we have ever seen. This video’s caption reads, “Wait for it…” Before cutting to the proverbial money shot.
Then we see it. The mama bear with her cubs desperately clinging to her back as she trots through the water in slow motion. At first, it appears that one of the cubs might be in danger of getting bucked off, but they manage to hang on after going slightly airborne.
Related: Massive Brown Bear’s Nighttime Swim Session Is the Ultimate Relaxation
The ride settles down for these cubs as their mama decelerates; she has made it through the deepest part of the water, and her cubs are capable of standing on their own now.
However, only one of the cubs gets off of her. Perhaps the other two were not sure if it was safe yet? Or maybe they were just really enjoying the ride, and didn’t want to end?
Can Bear Cubs Swim?
If you are wondering why those bear cubs were not swimming across the water, it is because they are too small. Brown bear cubs are unable to swim until they weigh at least 30 pounds. And even then, they will only swim short distances.
Swimming also requires a lot of energy, and even though adult brown bears can swim well, they usually get tired very quickly due to their immense size.
Another reason could be that this area is near a salmon spawning area, which makes it potentially dangerous for the cubs because a larger male bear could attack them for going near it.
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