A brown bear named Balu has become an internet sensation after being photographed enjoying a relaxing bath, similar to how humans do. Balu is seen splashing around in water adorned with rose petals in his enclosure in Saratov, Russia.
According to his owner, Ruslan Tsyvilev, Balu loves to roll around and soak in the water on his back after a long day.
Ruslan acquired Balu during the pandemic when zoos were struggling financially due to a decline in tourism.
Now, Ruslan and Balu share their liver, and the bear takes daily baths as one of his favorite activities.
Ruslan’s friend and photographer, Anna Prigorodova, shared, “The bear loves to take baths daily. He climbs in himself whenever he sees the bath full. Balu swims for 15-20 minutes and starts to indulge.”
Balu spent his early life in a zoo in Saratov before being adopted by Ruslan during the pandemic, which severely impacted the financial stability of many zoos. Saratov is a significant port city on the Volga River in southwestern Russia, located 241 miles from Volgograd and 533 miles southeast of Moscow.
Russia is home to one of the largest populations of brown bears globally, with approximately 120,000 brown bears living in the country’s forests, along with many others in captivity.
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