Clumsy bear cub gets paw stuck in tree — then Florida officers pull out dish soap

An uncoordinated Florida bear cub found itself in a serious but some might say funny predicament when it got one paw stuck in a tree.

Equally amusing were the gimmicks Florida Fish and Wildlife officers used to try to help it, including a slathering of dish washing soap.

It didn’t work.

Photos shared Sept. 8 on Facebook by FWC show the adorable bear didn’t look the least embarrassed as it stood on one foot, with its front legs wrapped around the tree.

“Somehow this little bear cub got a back paw solidly stuck in the crook of a tree, so our officer called in one of our bear biologists to help the poor li’l guy,” FWC reported.

“Together they worked for two hours in the blazing sun (all while attempting to avoid sharp claws and teeth!) trying to pry the tree limbs apart, moving this way and that … even soaking the leg in dish soap, but nothing worked.”

The “last resort” was a chainsaw, borrowed from someone living in the area, officials said.

“As our biologist safely held the bear as still as possible, our officer was able to cut one of the tree limbs entrapping the cub,” FWC said.

The bear was given “a quick medical check” to make sure no permanent damage had been done. It was then reunited with its mother, officials said.

Details of the location and names of the two rescuers were not released.

Florida is home to about 4,050 black bears, many of which live in the northern part of the state and the Panhandle.

The timing of the cub’s predicament coincides with a period when they are known to become more determined to fatten up for winter, FWC officials said.

This story was originally published September 8, 2023 at 11:32 AM with the headline "Clumsy bear cub gets paw stuck in tree — then Florida officers pull out dish soap."