Bear chills out in backyard spa, California video shows. ‘I don’t blame him’

A video posted by police shows a bear taking a break from the Southern California heat in a backyard spa.

“I don’t blame him,” says someone in the video posted Friday, July 28, to Facebook by Burbank police.

The bear can be seen lolling in the water, sitting on a bench with its paw on the edge.

“Officers are on-scene after the bear was spotted in a hillside neighborhood before taking a dip to cool off,” police wrote.

“Living its best life,” read one comment on the post.

“Poor baby it’s hot,” read another comment.

Burbank is about 10 miles north of downtown Los Angeles. Temperatures reached a high of 91 degrees there on July 28.

What to do if you see a bear

Bear attacks in the U.S. are rare, according to the National Park Service. In most attacks, bears are trying to defend their food, cubs or space.

There are steps people can take to help prevent a bear encounter from becoming a bear attack.

• Identify yourself: Talk calmly and slowly wave your arms. This can help the bear realize you’re a human and nonthreatening.

• Stay calm: Bears usually don’t want to attack; they want to be left alone. Talk slowly and with a low voice to the bear.

• Don’t scream: Screaming could trigger an attack.

• Pick up small children: Don’t let kids run away from the bear. It could think they’re small prey.

• Hike in groups: A group is noisier and smellier, the National Park Service said. Bears like to keep their distance from groups of people.

• Make yourself look big: Move to higher ground and stand tall. Don’t make any sudden movements.

• Don’t drop your bag: A bag on your back can keep a bear from accessing food, and it can provide protection.

• Walk away slowly: Move sideways so you appear less threatening to the bear. This also lets you keep an eye out.

• Again, don’t run: Bears will chase you, just like a dog would.

• Don’t climb trees: Grizzlies and black bears can also climb.

This story was originally published July 30, 2023 at 10:05 AM with the headline "Bear chills out in backyard spa, California video shows. ‘I don’t blame him’."