A black bear cools down in a carbon dioxide storage tank. See its “bear stroke”

A black bear was seen swimming in a reservoir at a Colorado state park — One tourist was lucky enough to capture the scene on camera.

On May 23, the animal was found ridgeway res. Colorado Parks and Wildlife’s Southwest Region’s Ridgway State Park posted the news on X (formerly Twitter) on June 5.

Officials said: “You’ve heard of the dog paddle, but have you ever seen the bear paddle?”

A seven-second video shows the bear paddling in the water with its paws.

The person shooting the video Photograph this animal from a steep embankment and keep your distance.

“This tourist did everything we asked him to do when photographing the bear,” wildlife agency spokesman John Livingston told McClatchy News in an email.

Livingston said the tourists stayed away from the water and pointed their cameras at the bear rather than approach it, and when the bear reached shore, they left, too.

People should stay at least 300 feet away from bears.

“This is a reminder that bears are active and will go to great lengths to find food,” Livingston said. “Campers should remember to never bring food or clothing that smells of food into their tents and to always clean grills and properly secure trash and coolers.”

Colorado 17,000 to 20,000 bearsAccording to wildlife officials.

Ridgway State Park is located in southwestern Colorado.

What to do if you see a bear

Bear attacks in the US According to the National Park Service, bear attacks are very rare. Most bear attacks occur when the animal is defending its food, cubs or space.

There are steps people can take to prevent a bear encounter from turning into a bear attack.

• Prove your identity: Speak calmly and wave your arms slowly. This can help the bear realize you are human and not a threat.

• keep Calm: Bears usually don’t attack; they want to be left alone. Speak slowly and quietly to the bear.

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

• Picking up children: Do not let children run away from a bear. The bear may think they are small prey.

• Group hiking: The National Park Service says groups are noisier and smell stronger. Bears prefer to keep their distance from groups of people.

• Make yourself look bigger: Move to higher ground and stand upright. Do not make any sudden movements.

• Don’t drop your bag: The bag on the back keeps the bear out of the food while still providing protection.

• Walk away slowly: Move sideways so you are less of a threat to the bear. This will also keep you alert.

• Again, don’t run: A bear will chase you like a dog.

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

Helena Wegener is a McClatchy national news reporter covering Washington state and the West. She is a graduate of the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University. She lives in Phoenix.