Wildlife authorities were called when a 400-lb. black bear left his home to wander through a neighborhood in Alligator Point, Fla. The bear was spotted rummaging for food through residential garbage cans, according to One Green Planet. Wildlife authorities came to dart the big black bear and take him back to the forest where he makes his home.
But things went terribly wrong when once he was darted, the bear headed toward the ocean to swim away before he became drowsy and started to drown.
That's when Adam Warwick, a biologist with the Wildlife Commission, spotted the flailing bear and jumped into hero mode. Warwick said he knew the bear was in trouble when instead of lunging forward to swim. he fell backwards, went under the water for a few seconds and struggled, according to Game and Fish Magazine. The biologist dove into the ocean immediately to save the bear's life.
Warwick swam out to the giant bear and began rescue efforts to bring him safely back to shore. This wasn't an easy task; while the bear was groggy, he was still awake, angry and wild. The bear proceeded to struggle with Warwick, giving his rescuer a few wounds with his massive claws before succumbing to the tranquilizers, reported RYOT.
The dead-weight 400-lb bear couldn't be placed onto a boat, so Warwick swam back to shore with him where a local backhoe operator had arrived to help secure the now sleeping bear onto a truck for his ride back to his home in Osceola National Forest.
The entire rescue was photographed showing the amazing rescue of the black bear by Warwick, clearly a hero whom the bear can thank for saving his life.
