Don’t do it…
What was this deer thinking? Polar bears are some of the most expert killers on the planet, even when in captivity. The largest and most carnivorous of all the bear species, these massive animals can weigh over 1,600 pounds and stand over 10 feet tall.
Their chalk white fur is made to blend in with the snow and ice as camouflage to the harsh environment they live in.
These beasts are known for their ability to hunt everything down, coming from miles and miles to feast primarily on seals, but they will also eat walrus, reindeer, on occasion even whales. The old saying goes with polar bears “if you see one, it’s already to late”.
They often take no prisoners and kill at every opportunity they have, as their environment can be highly unforgiving.
Naturally, most animals try to stay well clear of these deadly beasts.
This deer didn’t get the memo.
The old security footage from back in 2007 at the Pittsburgh Zoo shows two polar bears having the time of their life playing in a pool.
Out of nowhere a deer jumps the fence and takes the long dive, approximately 20 feet, down into the polar bear pool.
The polar bears immediately turn their attention to the deer and go check it out.
At first they seem confused, but let’s be real… that deer wasn’t gonna fare well stuck in a cage with two full-grown killers. Once the deer got out of the water, the polar bears began to chase it around the enclosure, but luckily for the deer, zookeepers were able to intervene before it could be mauled to death.
Unlucky for the deer, it went into shock after the fall, the swim, and running for its life from the two white bears it’s never seen before, and had to be euthanized.
Can you imagine surviving all that just to go into shock and have to be killed? Tough way to go…
According to the Pittsburgh Post Gazette, the deer put up quite a fight though, using its antlers and hooves to keep the bears at bay during the brief encounter.
Dr. Barbara Baker, president and CEO of the Pittsburgh Zoo attributed the deer’s survival to the immature age and inexperience of the polar bears, who aren’t quite used to hunting for meat:
“The young bears didn’t know what to do… and the deer was an aggressive animal. They’re very inquisitive and very curious, but they don’t quite have that killing instinct.”
The stuff you see…
Here’s another view of the security cam (not the best quality).
