Watch: Black Bear Hilariously Tries to Fit Into Tiny Tub of Water

A black bear in California’s Los Angeles County had a bit of a mishap when it tried to fit its massive body into a tiny tub of water. 

The hilarious incident was captured by a security camera last year, but bear antics are timeless, and it’s making the rounds once more. 

The giggle-worthy footage shows the bear curiously sniffing around a small metal container, apparently thirsty and looking for a refreshing drink. But then, the bear suddenly had an idea and decided to take a dip in the tiny tub instead.

With its front legs submerged, the bear’s eyes grew big with excitement, and it got more ambitious, attempting to squeeze its bulky body entirely into the little tub. It gingerly attempted to put all four of its limbs in the container, teetering and wobbling and unsure of itself. But no matter how small the bear tried to make itself, it just wasn’t going to work. 

The bear’s struggle went on for a full minute, with it even trying to wiggle its way into the container, but to no avail. Eventually, it gave up, realizing it was much too big for the container it obviously had mistaken for a pool. It walked away, likely disappointed, with only its hindquarters wet, setting off in search of (we can only presume) a bigger and more accommodating body of water.

The video of the bear’s hilarious antics quickly went viral on social media, with people finding the whole episode amusing and entertaining. However, experts have warned that it’s essential to maintain a safe distance from wild animals and not to engage with them, even if it looks like they’re just having some innocent fun. For instance, if you happened upon this bear trying to jump in this tiny tub of water, you would have wanted to keep your distance. 

While bears love to splash around in pools and ponds, they can be unpredictable and dangerous, especially if they feel threatened or cornered. Though you can’t predict when one of the animals might decide one day to use some of your home decor as a pool, if you live near where bears might roam, it’s important to keep trash cans secured and remove sources of food that could lure the animals. They might do funny things, but a bear encounter is no joke.