“Sun, Surf, and… Bears? Oh My! Unexpected Guest Crashes Florida Beach Party”
In Destin, Florida, an unexpected beach bum caused a ruckus on Sunday, and no, it wasn’t your typical sunburnt tourist. In a classic Florida fashion that can only be called ‘beary‘ peculiar, a bear decided to crash the party.
Florida has seen its fair share of bizarre animal intrusions, but even for the Sunshine State, this one takes the cake – or should we say, the picnic basket?
The furry freestyler went for a dip in the Gulf, frolicked around a bit, then had the audacity to come ashore. As the waves lapped at his fur, the bear, nonchalant as you please, decided to shake off his fur on the beach before making a beeline for the dunes.
Beachgoer Chris Barron reported to CNN, “We had been watching him several minutes come in from out pretty far. Most people didn’t realize it was a bear.” It’s like a real-life game of ‘Where’s Waldo?’ – bear edition.
Just so you know, Florida isn’t new to the bear scene. According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the state is a big ol’ bear playground, hosting about 4,000 black bears.
“Bears roam forests and swamps from Eglin Air Force Base in the Panhandle to Ocala National Forest in the state’s midsection to Big Cypress National Preserve in Southwest Florida,” says the FWC website. But hey, everyone needs a beach day once in a while, right? Even bears, apparently.
