Tragedy
He watched in horror as the bear cubs tried desperately to stay above the water. Their mother was nowhere in sight, where was she?
He was just a fisherman. But what he saw before him felt fated. He knew he had to help despite nature wanting to take the cubs. The cries of the younglings were too much, he made a plan.
An Ordinary Fishing Trip
Ruslan Lukanin was born and raised in Moscow, He decided to spend a day relaxing on the water with his friend. He thought they could see what was biting and knock back a cold one.
Ruslan and his friend went onto the calm waters of Lake Vygozero which is 1,250 kilometers squared. But with the 500 kilometers squared of woods around the lake, there are many things that can happen.
Something In The Water
The two men fished and weren't there for very long before seeing three animals in the water. It was a bear with her cubs trying to find a path to the other side of the lake. He didn't bat an eye since bears are quite common in the wilderness of Russia.
But as the men watched the spectacle they realized something was wrong. The mother swam to land with her strong legs, but her cubs were struggling. It was an awful sight to witness.
Fighting The Current
The current in the lake was strong that day. Soon the mother bear moved further and further from her cubs as they struggled to keep up. The mother bear must have been thinking of her own survival.
She managed to get to the island while her children could barely stay above the water. The men were faced with a dilemma. Ruslan couldn't watch them in peril and knew something had to happen.
Struggling
Ruslan knew that he couldn't act until the mother bear was far away from her cubs. He was worried she could turn around and defend them.
As time passed the cubs would struggle more and more. But once the mother was far enough away they drove their boat close to the cubs, doing so slowly as not to startle them.
Running Out Of Time
Once the boat was close the young bears scrambled to get on board. Ruslan could then see that they were severely fatigued from swimming in the water.
Any longer and they wouldn't be able to last. He had no idea how to even get him to safety. He wanted to make sure he was safe too.
Trying To Climb Aboard
One of the young bears made it to the edge of the boat and hooked his paws onto the lip of the boat. He wasn't strong enough to get himself on board as much as he tried.
Ruslan watched as the cub in desperation bit the side of the boat to stay aflout. They just needed a way to haul him into the boat.
An Idea
The men decided to use their fishing net to help push the cub onto the boat. But it would be no easy feat — a soaking wet bear cub was infinitely heavier than the fish the net was designed to hold.
But this was their best chance, so they had to try. Ruslan jumped into the water while his friend took the net and slowly slid it under the cub’s bottom, hoping to scoop him up and propel him over the side. Then, an incredible thing happened.
Rescue Mission
The cub turned toward the men and looked straight at them, seemingly acknowledging their efforts to help. He struggled and grunted as the net slowly raised him higher, all the while Ruslan spoke to him in a calm, hushed voice.
“We’ll rescue you, don’t be afraid,” he said to the bear. He wondered aloud whether the cub would bite them, to which his friend replied, “He won’t, he’s just clinging on for his life.” Then, finally, the miracle occurred.
Hauling Him Onboard
With the help of the fishing net, the cub made it onto the boat at last.
Though the men had worried he’d attack them in fear, it was clear this young bear was too tired to do anything except lie where he had landed. But the fishermen knew their work was not done yet — the other bear cub was still in the water. Luckily, they knew what to do.
Going Back For The Other Cub
Armed with the knowledge that their fishing net was strong enough to support the weight of a young bear, the men confidently scooped up the other cub as it continued to struggle to stay afloat.
They deposited him next to his brother, then stood there for a minute letting what they had just accomplished sink in. Then, it was time to decide what to do with the young critters.
Where Was The Mother?
Ruslan and his friend knew that the best chance the cubs would have to survive was to be reunited with their mother.
Even though she’d left them to fend for themselves in the lake, she’d probably be happy to have them back. So the fishermen headed toward the island that she had swum to. But it remained to be seen whether they’d actually find her.
Searching
The men dragged their boat ashore and cautiously looked around, hoping to catch a glimpse of the female bear. However, she was nowhere in sight.
Meanwhile, the cubs themselves didn’t seem to be in a rush to find her. They stayed inside the boat, too weak to get up and walk away. Ruslan and his friend knew there was only one thing they could do.
Taking Them To The Forest
Though they had been reluctant this whole time to get too close to the cubs, the fishermen knew they would need help getting out of the boat and into the forest. So, with the utmost care, they picked them up once more and transported them to the edge of the trees. They left them there and sailed away, hoping their mother would find them.
As they watched from the boat, a hulking figure emerged from the treeline. It was the cubs’ mother! She looked at the men as if to thank them, then they all trotted back into the bushes.
Viral Video
Footage of the cubs’ rescue was shared on YouTube by Russian media outlet RT. The video quickly went viral, amassing almost 200,000 views in a few months. When interviewed, Ruslan was asked why he and his friends took such a risk. “It was dangerous, of course,” he said. “But they are living creatures. We couldn’t just look the other way.”
One cop found himself in an even more dangerous situation…
Road
There it was, stomping back and forth on the road. They were gigantic animals but at night, they blend in with perfect camouflage and during the day, they make their presence all too obvious.
But as he approached closer, something seemed off. He immediately knew he had to act fast.
Traffic
That day, traffic was growing by the minute, and the highway became chaos. State Trooper Thomas Owens was stuck in this back-to-back traffic when car horns started blaring because people were losing their nerves.
He knew something was the matter, so he approached closer. But as he did, he noticed a dark figure hiding in the bushes.
Chases
When Thomas was a little kid, he loved everything there was to love about cars.
He was obsessed with the high-speed chases and getaways he would see on the news, and he always rushed home, hoping for a glimpse of one when he turned on the TV.
Need For Speed
Some of these chases ended in tragedy, but most of them ended with justice.
Law enforcement always managed to catch the criminals right in time, restoring peace and safety! But Thomas’s mother always was worried about his delight in such high-speed vandals.
Licensed
When it came time for Thomas to get his license, he was overly excited.
On his sixteenth birthday, he passed his driving test and his mom practically had to pry away the set of keys from his hands. She couldn’t stand the thought of her son becoming a dangerous driver.
Small Town
Thomas was a young boy, but in no way was he irresponsible. “It’s a small town, Thomas. If we get one sniff of you being reckless, you can say goodbye to the truck,” his mother warned him.
Thomas knew what kind of danger was lurking out on the road, but he never would have expected someone he knew to become a victim of them.
The Incident
Thomas loved driving around his neighborhood and would even offer to pick his friends up from school and drop them off at their homes.
He always made sure he stayed safe, and he did. But one day, as he got home, he didn’t see his mother’s car in the driveway. Shivers immediately went up and down his spine.
Need To Serve
Panic set all over him, as he made several calls, he learned the truth. His mother was in the hospital and had been involved in a hit and run.
He couldn’t believe how someone could be so reckless and this really touched home for him. That incident made a huge impact on his life in more ways than one. Soon he would know what to do with his bright future.
Graduated
When his high school was over, he knew exactly what he wanted to do. All of his friends were enlisting in colleges in the state and out of state, but he knew that he wanted to stay right there.
He shared his plan to become a state trooper, and his family and friends were not at all surprised by his decision.
State Trooper
With the years and after his mother’s accident he knew all too well what dangerous driving really looked like and left it behind him.
Still, he had no idea one day he would encounter something on the road that he was not prepared for.
Commotion
He had become an exemplary Officer, but even with those years under his belt, Thomas had never encountered something like that he did that day.
As he gripped the wheel in traffic, he had no idea what was going on up ahead. Still, he knew something had to be the matter.
Instincts
Thomas’s first instinct was to think someone might have had a breakdown or a little fender bender up ahead, and that was what was causing the delays.
But then he got closer, and what he saw would be a once-in-a-lifetime discovery.
Bear
The figure on the road was enormous, he instantly realized that this was a dangerous bear.
Still, people were getting out of their cars to investigate what was going on, and Thomas couldn’t do anything but instruct them to get back in!
Bretton Woods
Bretton Woods, where Thomas had grown up and resided spans across 700 acres of land. The land is home to 200 species of birds alone, so it’s no surprise that the land became a protected wilderness.
But Thomas was about to encounter the biggest animal in the Woods, right there in front of him.
Not Prepared
Sightings of these black bears were common in the area, but they usually didn’t bother anyone and stayed to themselves.
These animals are very dangerous and everyone in the community knew that, still, with all of Thomas’s extensive training, nothing could have prepared him for what he was about to face.
Black Bear
State Troopers were trained when it came to dangerous animals but still, meeting with one face to face can be extremely nerve-racking.
In the middle of the road, stopping traffic and walking along was an enormous black bear. What on earth was it doing there?
Stopped
Bears usually hide in the woods and keep to themselves. But this enormous black bear was pacing across the road turning it into chaos.
Thomas yelled for everyone to stay put, but still, he couldn't put his finger on something. Why was this bear out here?
What To Do?
Thomas got out of his car and started to approach the bear.
Commuters now had been instructed to stay in their cars where they were safe, but Thomas was not. He was on foot, walking towards one of the biggest wild animals out there.
Something Is Not Right
It seemed like the bear was not going to go anywhere, it was still there, pacing back and forth.
Thomas instructed everyone to turn their cars around and go back the way they came, they needed to give this bear space. Still, Thomas had no idea what the problem with the bear was.
Little Cub
Cars turned around, and that is when Thomas decided to take a closer look. He mustered all his courage and began to take more and more steps closer, and that’s when he saw it.
He now knew that this bear had no fear for humans because she had something a lot more critical she needed to protect.
Baby Bear
Thomas took a closer look and saw the big black bear had some followers of her own!
Four cubs walked along the road, three of which were right by the mama’s side. However, one little cub sat down to rest.
Not Going Anywhere
The little bears were very young, they wobbled as they walked but still, they could do it on their own.
The little bear that sat in the middle of the road resting didn't seem to have enough energy to keep going. That is when mama bear did something unexpected.
Stranded
He had never seen a bear with three cubs, let alone four! But the mama bear was not going to let her baby be left on the road, or that is what Thomas thought.
He could see how the mama of the stranded cub walked up to it and nudged it with her nose, as if showing it the way. Still, he wasn't having any of it. He was not moving.
A Plan
Minutes went by and the mama bear tried to show the little bear the way, something was wrong. The little bear wouldn't get back on his feet and that is when the mama bear knew she had to make a tough decision - she left him behind.
Thomas couldn't believe what he had just witnessed, but as soon as the mama bear was out of sight, he knew he had to help the poor little cub.
Little Bear Cub
When the mama bear had disappeared, Thomas ran to the cub’s side and tried to help it move. It wouldn’t, and it was becoming worse by the minute.
His eyes were droopy as if he was extremely tired or worse, very sick. Thomas knew he had to save this incredible creature, so he picked it up and rushed back to his squad car.
Abandoned
On the way to the New Hampshire Fish and Game Center, Thomas couldn’t help but think of what he had witnessed.
Why would a mother bear abandon her baby on the road like that?
Sick Cub
Thomas later discovered the logic behind the mother bear’s decision to abandon her sick cub - If she had stayed with the sick cub, she would have put the rest of the cubs in danger.
Even though that didn't justify why she abandoned her cub, it did make sense. She didn't want to put her other babies in danger.
Alone
Thomas’s rescue spread across the town, but then, officials gave Thomas shocking information. This baby was not the only one who had been abandoned.
The other officers had seen that mam bear before, and there weren't four cubs by here side but five! Thomas knew exactly what he had to do.
Into The Woods
Thomas knew he had to search for the other cub, so he talked to the officers and was met by more state troopers accompanied by multiple K9 units.
They needed to find the poor cub, and with luck, it wasn’t long before they managed to locate it, not far from its mother’s crossing location.
Tough Decision
They found the fifth cub in poor condition, but as they arrived at the vet, the experts knew exactly what to do.
Still, one question lingered in their mind - What were they to do once they cubs were healthy? They couldn’t bottle feed forever.
Together Again
Thankfully, the little cubs made a speedy recovery and their carers put it down to their constant company.
Most rescued animals take time to recover due to stress and isolation, but these two had each other!
Heroic Trooper
The center intends to reunite the cubs with their mother once they are strong enough if it can be possible.
And of course, there’s one person who has kept a keen eye on their progress every day!
Protect And Serve
Thomas never expected to encounter such a rare scene while he served, or even ever in his life!
It's a strange sight to see four cubs together, and it is even stranger to rescue one cub, let alone two! If it wasn’t for his quick thinking, the two cubs may not have made it.
Protecting All Animals
Thomas has become dedicated to protecting all the citizens of Carroll, New Hampshire.
But he has made sure to include all residents in his efforts, including those who walk on four legs!