Suffocating bear cub saved by family

A US family helped save a young bear that was struggling to breathe while swimming in a lake with its head caught in a plastic food container.

Tricia and Brian Hurt and their son, Brady, were fishing on Saturday on Marsh Miller Lake in Wisconsin’s Chippewa County when they came across what they first thought was a swimming dog. They soon realised it was a young bear with a clear plastic cheese ball container stuck on its head.

They captured the rescue operation on video.

“That was the thing I remember most, is that bear panting heavily, trying to get air. Can you imagine having that down in the water? It sealed it off so it couldn’t get fresh air into that jug,” said Brian.

Tricia said if they had been two minutes sooner or later, they likely wouldn’t have come across the bear.

“I should have bought a lottery ticket,” Brian 0 said. “I probably would have better chances at winning the lottery ticket than stumbling across that poor bear.” |