A heartwarming scene unfolded at Woburn Safari Park in Bedfordshire when a group of North American black bears were spotted enjoying a ride on a swan-shaped pedalo.
The bears climbed into the pedalo after a makeshift lake formed due to heavy rainfall, which left the ground waterlogged. Seizing the opportunity, park staff placed a swan-shaped pedalo by the edge of the new water body, hoping to pique the bears’ curiosity.
Tommy Babington, Deputy Head of the Carnivores section, shared, “We’ve had so much wet weather this year that a mini lake emerged in the black bears’ drive-through area.
We thought it would be a fun enrichment activity for them.” The bears, known collectively as a ‘sleuth,’ quickly took to their new aquatic neighbor, investigating and climbing aboard the swan pedalo.
Babington added, “Visitors had a great time watching the bears, and we always strive to create new ways to enrich their environment with food, scents, and activities that encourage natural foraging behaviors.”
The black bears at Woburn Safari Park have a nearly 13-acre reserve that they share with Canadian Timberwolves, making it one of the UK’s few mixed carnivore enclosures.
The bear residents include an adult male named Chuck, three adult females—Indiana, Phoenix, and Dixie—and three juveniles: Koda, Georgia, and Denver.
In 2022, the park welcomed four bear cubs born to mother Phoenix, bringing the total number of bears to eleven.
These bears live outdoors year-round; unlike grizzly bears, black bears lack shoulder humps and have shorter, more curved claws that are always extended, making them adept climbers and diggers.
Black bears have stout, thickset bodies with short, stubby tails and are known as opportunistic feeders, often rummaging through human waste bins in search of food.
This adventurous nature was delightfully displayed as they explored the swan pedalo, much to the amusement of park visitors.
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