A 400 lb black bear wandered into a Florida community, and authorities tried to subdue him by shooting him with a tranquilizer.
The goal was to move the bear back to the forest, but being shot with the tranquilizer sent the bear into a state of panic and he began running towards the ocean.
He started swimming into the water to evade officers, but the further he went the more drowsy he became.
Adam Warwick, a local biologist with the Wildlife Commission, knew that he had only seconds to save the bear's life.
Without second thought, he jumped into the ocean and blocked the bear from swimming further out to sea.
Adam relates that “It was a spur of the moment decision. I had a lot of adrenaline pumping when I saw the bear in the water.”
Bystanders were absolutely shocked by Adam's bravery, knowing that a bear of that size could easily maime or kill him.
Adam grabbed ahold of the bear and patiently began bringing him back towards shore.
The bear couldn't really move his legs at this point and was completely dependent on Adam to swim him to safety.
Finally Adam got the bear far enough inland that he could stand upright (with a little help from Adam).
He helped the bear ashore patiently, leading him step by step.
Adam suffered a few cuts and scrapes, mostly from barnacles that he traversed while leading the bear to safety.
Others soon came out to help Adam and the bear through the final feet to land.
They loaded the bear into a tractor bucket to take him back home to Osceola National Forest.
Adam says goodbye to his newfound friend, who now will have a story to tell all the other bears back in the forest.
Here he is, back in his native habitat thanks to the bravery and quick thinking of Adam!
I hope the bear remembers his friend Adam, who saved his life so
courageously that day.
Source: Distractify
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