The spirit of Baloo from The Jungle Book lives on within all bears, channelled through their fondness for napping and back scratches.
However, one bear has truly elevated this ‘bear necessities’ approach to life; adopting the air of an old-Hollywood diva gazing out into the distance while pondering the complex web of her many doomed marriages.
The elegantly chilled bear in question was spotted at the Omni Mount Washington Resort in New Hampshire’s White Mountains, contemplative snout bathed in the rising sunbeams.
Omni Mount Washington Resort worker Sam Geesaman spotted the bear while working a night shift. The bellman had headed out to the back veranda at around 5am, with the hopes of watching the sun rise over the mountain tops.
To his surprise, there was already somebody there. A huge black bear with its paws resting gently on the rail. You can almost imagine the bear giving a determined – yet slightly embittered – sigh as it toasts another new day dawning.
Geesaman – who has a gift for photography – managed to snap a picture of the bear, with the opulent surrounding making for a bizarre contrast with the wildly hairy creature.
The photograph has since gone viral, with people filled with admiration for this snooty looking bear. One person described it as being a ‘drunk and naked’ Paddington, while another joked it was ‘waiting on his room service’.
Speaking with local news station WGME, Geesaman said:
I notified other hotel staff that we had a bear on the back veranda and that I would be attempting to keep the area clear of guests so they didn’t walk into a morning surprise.
While following behind it, attempting to usher it to the nearest exit, the bear decided to hop up on the rail and enjoy the sunrise as I had intended to do myself.
Geesaman told WGME how – after he’d made a few stomping and clapping sounds – the bear sauntered off to a wooded area for a ‘quieter sunrise viewing’.
According to Geesaman, Omni Mount Washington Resort staff warn guests against approaching bears, and tell them not to food out on the veranda in case this tempts them over.
This bear had reportedly caught a whiff of a delectable smelling trash can, but had apparently failed to make a dining reservation.
Speaking with the Boston Globe, Geesaman quipped:
It was not a registered guest.
Hopefully Joan Claw-ford will be greeted with a champagne breakfast and a fawning welcome upon returning to the woods…
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Jules studied English Literature with Creative Writing at Lancaster University before earning her masters in International Relations at Leiden University in The Netherlands (Hoi!). She then trained as a journalist through News Associates in Manchester. Jules has previously worked as a mental health blogger, copywriter and freelancer for various publications.