Chubby Bear Channels Its Inner ‘Baloo,’ Scratches Back on Tree Before Hibernating

Being big has its ups and downs. One of the more frequent “downs” is trying to reach that itch on the square of your back that you just can’t seem to reach. And if its hard for the rest of us, imagine how hard it is for a thousand-plus pound black bear?

The portly fellow in question had been working hard in preparation for its winter hibernation – and by working hard we mean eating as much as possible. But when a back itch comes a-calling, everything else hits the back burner. So what is a bear to do?

“This fat bear is about ready for hibernation but got in one more back-scratching session in,” the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife wrote on its Facebook page after the following footage was caught on a nature cam near Okanogan, Washington.

A little water weight is nothing when you have the help of a tree, and that is exactly where this rotund lady decided to go to scratch its itch.

Sometimes, you’ve got to make sure to take care of the simple, “bear” necessities!