A couple of adorable bear cubs hijacked a Gatlinburg hot tub to beat the heat.
It's just another day in bear country! Normally hot tubs are supposed to be used to the opposite effect, but these cuties didn't care -- it was just too dang hot with all that fur.
Ginger Maples in Gatlinburg shared the adorable videos of two bear cubs and their mama enjoying the hot day in their neck of the woods.
After a dip in the water, the cubs took a moment to snuggle with mom. If you listen very closely near the end of the video below -- you can hear one of the cubs 'purring.' Cubs will make a motoring sound similar to a cat's purr when they are happy, feeding and comfortable.
While bears frolicking in peoples' backyard is a common sight in the Smokies, you should keep a few tips in mind while in bear country in order to keep yourself and the animals safe.
MORE BEAR TIPS: TWRA offers tips on how to co-exist with black bears
TWRA recommendations:
-Never feed or approach bears-- this includes carefully managing sources of human food or garbage to make sure the bears can't access it or aren't attracted to the area. When camping in bear country, keep all food stored in a vehicle and away from tents.
-If you live in a town near black bear habitats, you should not store food, garbage or other recyclables in areas accessible to bears. You also should avoid feeding birds or other wildlife where bears are active.
-Outdoor pets should only be fed a portion they will completely consume, and keeping grills and smokers cleaned and stored securely will also help deter bears.
-If you do encounter a bear, remove whatever attracted the bear to come into your area. There is almost always a safe escape route when bears enter towns. Crowd control is the initial concern as the behavior of a cornered bear can be unpredictable. Immediately report to the TWRA or local police any sightings of bears within areas of human population centers.
-While black bears are usually tolerant of humans, they should always be treated as wild animals, whether in residential or backcountry areas. Black bears are rarely aggressive towards people and typically go out of their way to avoid contact, however as human development continues and bear numbers increase, occasional interactions will be unavoidable.
-If you see a black bear from a distance, alter your route of travel, return the way you came, or wait until it leaves the area. Make your presence known by yelling and shouting at the bear in an attempt to scare it away.