Florida Beachgoers Stunned by a Black Bear Spotted Swimming in the Waves

As summer kicks off, sunbathers everywhere have been relaxing and enjoying the warm weather. But humans aren't the only ones who are excited to hit the beach.

On Sunday, beachgoers in Destin, Florida were shocked to see a strange creature frolicking in the waves. What resembled someone's dog was actually a young black bear enjoying the salt water.

Chris Barron, a witness who captured the moment on video, told CNN that onlookers first noticed the animal swimming in the distance. "We had been watching him several minutes come in from out pretty far,“ he described. “Most people didn’t realize it was a bear.”

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission spoke about the incident to CBS News. It turns out this isn't too far out of the ordinary. "While it is unusual to see a bear swimming in the shallows of a crowded beach, it isn't unusual to hear of black bears swimming in the Gulf on their way back to barrier islands in search of food," a spokesperson for the organization said. "During this time of year, juvenile bears such as the one seen in Destin are starting to leave their mother's home range and may be seen in unexpected areas as they try to find a new home."

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According to the department, most bears make this journey between one-and-a-half to two-and-a-half years old. It warned that while the young bears aren't naturally aggressive, they could "become defensive" if they feel threatened.

Mike Orlando, FWC's bear management program coordinator, gave some good advice in case you ever find yourself in this situation. "The most important thing people can do to help these bears is to leave them alone," he stated plainly. "Give them plenty of space and let them move along on their own."

Hey, at least it wasn't a shark.