A Bear Finds A Little Water In The Forest To Cool Off In

This is the adorable moment a small bear in Colorado takes a bath in a large puddle it found in the woods.

The footage shows the cute bear, which appears to be quite small, relaxing in the muddy water, rolling around and rinsing itself off as the footage ends.

The footage, which has notched up over 2,000 views in 24 hours, was shared online by the Colorado Parks and Wildlife North-East Region, who said: “A bear finds a little water in the forest to cool off in.”

North American brown bears are beginning their hibernation period, which lasts from between late October and mid-November to March and springtime. Hibernation requires considerable amounts of food so that bears can put on enough fat to survive sleeping through the cold winter months before they emerge in spring.

The US National Park Service says on its website: “Bears spend the winter hibernating in dens to avoid the cold weather and lack of abundant food sources. During their winter slumber, bears’ bodies drop in body temperature, pulse rate, and respiration. Their bodies use the fat they stored in the summer as energy.

It is currently unclear why this bear is not yet hibernating but the Colorado Parks and Wildlife North-East Region has also warned people about them, saying in a post on Twitter featuring a bear snapped at night wandering around a suburban neighbourhood: “Bears are still active. Do not give them a reason to visit your house or neighborhood by leaving trash unsecured, having birdfeeders out, garages left open or other food sources they can access.”

The Colorado Parks and Wildlife warns on its website: “Today, bears share space with a rapidly growing human population. Black bears are curious, intelligent, and very resourceful; they will explore all possible food sources. If they find food near homes, campgrounds, vehicles, or communities, they’ll come back for more.

“Bears will work hard to get the calories they need, and can easily damage property, vehicles, and homes. Bears that become aggressive in their pursuit of an easy meal must often be destroyed.

“Every time we’re forced to destroy a bear, it’s not just the bear that loses. We all lose a little piece of the wildness that makes Colorado so special.

“So please, learn to protect bears by being ‘Bear Aware’, and share this information with your friends, neighbors, and community. We’re here to help!.”

@CPW_NE/CZ/Joe Golder