Talk about a Canada Day surprise… On July 1st, Nick Templeman caught a rare sighting on video: a swimming black bear!
Templeman, a boat tour operator with Campbell River Whale and Bear Excursions, was taking a four-person tour group to an estuary to try and see a grizzly when he encountered the unique spectacle.
“I thought it was a sea otter,” Templeman told Chek News. “I drove right past him at first.”
However, after circling around for a second look, the sight became clear. Templeman then recorded the video, which has now racked up over 3.5k views on Facebook.
Rare Sighting, Even Rarer Video
And if watching a bear navigate one of British Columbia’s beautiful waterways isn’t enough animal excitement, check out the Siberian Husky at 0:30. Named Yukon, the dog was rescued five years ago and has since become a regular tour member.
Templeton shot the video at Phillips Arm after the tour group had already been treated to sightings of dolphins and humpback whales.
He said he’d only seen a bear swim in the wild once before, 19 years ago. This time, they watched it swim all the way to shore, shake itself off, and crawl away.
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