Black bears can easily navigate rivers, but cubs sometimes require mom’s help.
The accompanying footage, captured by Yellowstone Wolf Tracker guide Michelle Holihan, shows a cub crossing the Lamar River on mom’s back and leaping from her shoulders onto the opposite shore.
“What’s the best way to get across the cold Lamar River?” Yellowstone Wolf Tracker asked followers via Instagram. “Hitch a ride on mom!
“We spotted this black bear in the river but her two cubs were hesitant to cross so she went back to get them and one of them climbed onboard for the crossing.”
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The Lamar River, a tributary of the Yellowstone River, spans 44 miles through wildlife-rich portions of Yellowstone National Park.
According to the National Park Service, the Lamar River and Lamar Valley are named after Lucius Quintus Cincinnatus Lamar, Secretary of the Interior under President Grover Cleveland from 1885 to 1888.
–Image is a video screen shot