A Los Angeles family got a hilarious surprise when a bear decided to turn their backyard pool into his own personal playground.
The family watched safely from inside their home as the bear climbed into the water, splashed around and then started playing with one of the children’s toys.
At one point, the bear grabbed a mermaid doll, prompting one of the kids to excitedly point it out.
The family later joked about the unexpected visitor with the caption, “Does anybody want to play mermaids?”
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Social media viewers quickly joined in on the fun.
Some joked that the bear looked like Ariel from The Little Mermaid, while another compared him to Ken from Barbie.
Others simply pointed out the obvious — the bear seemed to really enjoy the toys.
And there may be a good reason he was so comfortable in the water.
Bears often seek out pools, hot tubs and other bodies of water during hot weather because they do not have sweat glands and their thick fur is designed to keep them warm.
A cool swim can help them regulate their body temperature.
Bears are also strong swimmers and are known to travel across lakes and other large bodies of water.
In a backyard pool, though, they are more likely to splash around, cool off and occasionally investigate whatever toys happen to be floating nearby.
Experts say homeowners who find a bear in their yard should stay inside and avoid approaching it.
Making loud noises from a safe location, such as banging pots and pans, can sometimes encourage the animal to leave.
The goal is to keep the bear from becoming too comfortable and returning again.
Although judging by this bear’s reaction to the pool and mermaid doll, he may have already found his favorite new hangout.