Shocking Video Captures 'Drunk' Man Jumping Into Bear Enclosure And Wrestling It

By maks in Animals On 25th September 2024
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In a shocking 2020 incident, footage captured the unnamed 23-year-old man, who was reportedly drunk, casually walking around the bear enclosure at the Warsaw Zoological Garden in Poland. 

Soon after, he tried to escape by leaping into the water surrounding the enclosure.

As the man wandered around, seemingly distracted and possibly on his phone, a bear named Sabina, a former circus bear, quietly approached him.

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The large bear stood watching the man from the edge of her artificial island as he desperately tried to swim away.

But escaping was difficult because the moat encircled the entire enclosure.

At some point, Sabina decided she'd had enough. She jumped into the water, and that's when the man began wrestling with her. 

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Despite Sabina's natural swimming ability, the man managed to overpower her.

During the struggle, he was seen holding the bear's head underwater while gripping her ears tightly.

Eventually, he let go, and both he and the bear swam off in opposite directions.

After the video surfaced on Twitter, one user commented: "What a complete idiot. The guy shouldn't drink if he does sh*t like that. I feel sorry for the animal."

Another person on social media shared: "What a freak, he was very lucky, the bear probably once belonged to some circus, hence it probably did not show sudden aggression towards humans. However, it is a wild animal !!!!!!"

Sabina the bear stalks her intruder who jumped in the water to escape X/wnukers

Someone else had a different perspective on the situation: "The bear was trying to save him from drowning. It never wanted to harm him.

"The body language was very clear, also its actions. It was quite a healthy and active bear capable of doing fatal harm to him but it didn’t."

The incident took place in May 2020, shortly after Warsaw Zoo had reopened following the country's COVID-19 lockdown.

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Firefighters eventually rescued the man, and he was arrested afterward.

Ann Karczewska, a spokesperson for the zoo, explained how the man managed to survive the ordeal.

Speaking to The Independent, she said: "She [Sabina the bear] used to belong to a circus and is accustomed to the presence of people, but she absolutely did not expect a human attack. 

The unnamed 23-year-old wrestles the bear in the water X/wnukers

"Sabina, an old bear who was attacked by an adult man, physically came out of this event unscathed, but she is very stressed."

The man, whose name was never released, was charged with disturbing the peace, not wearing a face mask during the incident—violating Poland’s COVID rules—and animal cruelty.

He was sentenced to 20 hours of community service per month.

In addition to community service, he faced fines ranging from $1,230 to $7,380.

The man also made a promise to stop drinking alcohol.