When a guy comforts a 1,400-pound Kodiak bear with a bear hug, this is the moment.
Jim Kowalczik has known Kimbo the Kodiak bear for so long that when he was feeling under the weather, he didn’t hesitate to cuddle him.
After the animal park where Jimbo was born closed, Kowalczik took him in as a cub. He couldn’t be released into the wild because he was born in captivity.
Jimbo was 24 years old at the time these photos and videos were shot, and he was suffering from an unexplained ailment.
He’d returned from his latest vet trip upset, and Kowalczik came to his rescue with some soothing words.
Take a look at the video below:
From the outside, it appears strange to observe, but for Kowalczik, it’s just another day. Kowalczik told National Geographic, “He’s basically part of the family now.”
Both Kowalczik, a veteran corrections officer, and his wife Susan have spent decades dealing with bears.
They established the Orphaned Wildlife Center in Otisville, New York, and have assisted in the rehabilitation of several bears and smaller ground animals.
At the time of this report, they were sharing the 100-acre property with 11 bears, including black, brown, and Kodiak bears.
Jimbo is the sole regular inhabitant and by far the biggest, weighing in at 1400 pounds and standing at around 9 and a half feet tall.
Jimbo is recognized as a gentle giant owing to his soft-hearted attitude, despite his enormous stature.
“The bears are our children,” the pair explained. “That’s how much we adore them, and they return the favor.” They adore you just as much as you adore them. “Our bear family is much like any other.”