Polar Bear Surprises a Little Girl With Close Encounter in Zoo — But Not Everyone Finds It Cute
Zoos are hugely popular attractions for children. They get introduced to animals that they wouldn't encounter in their daily lives. However, sometimes these interactions don't go the way one might expect. Shannon never thought that her daughter would just be millimeters away from a polar bear when she took her to Assiniboine Park Zoo in Winnipeg. But that is exactly what happened, and she managed to capture it on camera. The video was uploaded by her on her TikTok account (@nomadicshannon) and gathered a barrage of funny as well as serious reactions. Some expressed sadness seeing the animal in what they felt was a troublesome state. In just a matter of a week, the video has gone viral, attracting around one million views.
The video used the trending slogan, "Nothing Beats a Jet2 Holiday," which possibly made it more appealing to the viewers. Shannon's daughter had her nose pressed against the glass of a massive water enclosure in the zoo. She was possibly looking at the marine creatures placed inside the enclosure when suddenly, a polar bear appeared in front of her. Not only did the bear splash into the water, but the animal also seemed to reach out towards the girl, but was obviously stopped by the glass. The interaction surprised the kid, and she immediately rushed towards her mother. On her way, she tumbled another kid.
Even Shannon was shocked by the turn of events. "One bear was slowly stepping into the water, so we thought that was what we would see," she shared, according to Newsweek. "What we did not expect was for another polar bear to dive right in and come up face-to-face with my daughter." The moment was unsettling for the pair, but has since become a funny memory. Many on the internet shared the same reaction, but some expressed worry for the polar bear. Viewers did not like that the bear was limited to the water enclosure, instead of being allowed to roam free in their natural habitat.
@yami212246 expressed dissatisfaction with the whole setup and commented, "Shame on people for still going to zoos and aquariums in 2025. If it’s not for rescue & release or conservation, it’s basically tiger king levels of immoral." @ratherbehiking explained why the polar bear was in this situation. She wrote, "Also, to all the 'oh no it’s so sad, the poor bears' viewers. This is technically the International Polar Bear Conservation Centre. Attached to the Assiniboine Zoo but is a separate facility altogether. It’s actually a very important research centre that helps overall conservation efforts of these beauties. If you love polar bears, you’ll understand how endangered they are and how conservation efforts and research are essential to their survival."
@nomadicshannon We got to visit the polar bears at the zoo in Winnipeg.
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The other comments revealed that the place was specially incorporated with cold plunge swimming areas, caves, and the grassy land mass to monitor the creatures. The whole facility has been arranged with the objective of creating strategies for protecting these wildlife, which are under considerable threat from the world. However, the fact that their protection causes them to be kept away from their habitat showcases an upsetting state of affairs.
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