For moms with young kids, life is full of little daily dramas and unexpected adventures requiring them to play the part of hero. And the same holds true for mother bears, too.
When this furry mom’s cub needed her most, she didn’t hesitate to act.
Betsy Sommerfeldt
Betsy Sommerfeldt was at a marina on Lake Tahoe in California the other day when she spotted the mother bear walking with her three cubs. As Sommerfeldt looked on, one of the babies got himself into some trouble.
Apparently, he’d decided to see what would happen if he squeezed himself through a railing near the edge of the water.
Betsy Sommerfeldt
What happened was the cub got wet. And, being unable to climb back up, he was now in serious danger.
Mom, however, didn’t miss a beat.
“I thought that baby was going to drown but Mama climbed that fence and went right down to the water,” Sommerfeldt told The Dodo. “I was rather amazed how fast she reacted when she noticed one of her babies gone.”
The mother bear then swam to the closest shore, carrying the cub on her back. After placing him on dry land, she went back in the water, headed to where her two other cubs were waiting, and encouraged them to jump in the water, too. She then carried them, one by one, on her back to safety as well.
Here’s a video of the brave mother completing that heroic task:
When the first cub had fallen, Sommerfeldt actually called 911 just in case — but Mama bear was able to handle the rescue all on her own.
A mother’s love had saved the day, as it so often does.
“It was an incredible thing to witness,” Sommerfeldt said. “Mom was very confident. She knew just what to do.”