Newly-released body camera footage shows a shocked Florida deputy encountering a pair of "unique" bear cubs over 3,600 miles away from their natural environment in Alaska.
The Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office shared a video of a deputy finding two curious bear cubs along with the 911 caller in the Baker area around 3:30 a.m. on December 5. The caller told the deputy he was driving on Old River Road when he spotted the bears and noticed they didn't look like the black bears that naturally inhabit Florida.
After the surprised deputy got out of her car, the cubs wasted no time sniffing her and the patrol vehicle.
"They're completely friendly," the civilian told her.
"I'm still a little timid, I ain't gonna lie," she responded nervously. One of the cubs places their paws on the deputy as the caller tries to settle the restless creatures down.
The sheriff's office revealed these two adorable cubs are Kodiak bears, a unique subspecies of the grizzly bears. They tend to be larger than normal grizzlies, and their natural habitat is in Alaska.
"These cubs were technically about 3,614 miles from what would normally be 'home' - in Alaska," deputies noted. "Thankfully this pair was friendly and appeared healthy."
Investigators determined the bear cubs escaped an enclosure on the property of a "self-proclaimed" bear trainer. The owner is facing several state wildlife violations following an investigation from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, deputies confirmed.
Kodiak bears, which are the largest in the world, live exclusively on the islands of Kodiak Archipelago, according to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. Male Kodiaks can stand over 10 feet tall on their hind legs and weigh up to 1,500 pounds.