Fifty-nine-year-old Jim Kowalczik works at the 100-acre Orphaned Wildlife Center in Otisville, N.Y., a nonprofit that cares for 11 orphaned bears, including one enormous Kodiak bear named Jimbo that clocks in at an immense 1,500 pounds and 9 feet, 6 inches. Jimbo is 22 and has lived most of his life under Kowalczik's care, reported The New York Times.
Jimbo was born with a leg issue that would have meant his certain demise in the wild, so he was rescued as a cub by Kowalczik, who raised him in the Orphaned Wildlife Center, according to "Inside Edition." This means that he has the temperament of a huge dog: friendly, cuddly and loyal.
A video starring Jim and Jimbo has garnered millions of views and tons of media attention since Jan. 2 when it was uploaded. Watch the amazing video below and see how the pair cuddle, kiss and hug. It's clear that the pair has a special bond, says "Today." It's an amazing sight to see, because Jimbo is simply larger-than-life enormous.
The Orphaned Wildlife Center exists purely for the rehabilitation and shelter of the animals, so it's not usually open to the public for visitors.
"Our primary purpose is to release these animals into the wild. We only keep them if there's some problem," said Kerry Clair, a director of the center, according to The New York Times. She said that the bears raised on the premises are all as friendly as Jimbo because they were raised by humans from the time they were cubs. Unfortunately, this means that they are unfit to return to the wild. However, they have pretty amazing lives at the center, as explained in the Facebook post below.
Posted by Orphaned Wildlife Center on Sunday, 10 January 2016
