Tourists in Florida were surprised to discover that they were rescuing a black bear from the sea, and not a large dog. The incident took place in the city of Destin, where a cub was seen splashing through the surf, shaking its head to clear its ears of saltwater. Onlookers were stunned as the bear waded onto the crowded beach, with some taking videos and pictures of the wild animal.

Although the sighting shocked many people online, Captain Chris Kirby from Charter Boat Backlash, which operates in Destin, said that he had seen similar scenes before, as it is not uncommon for bears to swim across the bay.