Bear out for swim swats away two aggressive alligators in Florida river, video shows

A kayaker was stunned to see a bear swim past him in Florida’s St. Johns River, and the moment got even stranger when the beast collided with a large alligator.

Tyler Futrell was recording at the time, and his video shows the alligator was clearly on the hunt.

The bear responded by rearing its head out of the water and swatting the alligator, sending water spraying into the air.

It’s unclear if the alligator bit back, but the bear is then seen rushing toward the river bank — with the alligator not far behind.

Click here to watch the video, which contains strong language.

The bear then encountered a second gator, which also got swatted.

Futrell admits he thought the alligators were pursuing a wild pig — until something much bigger climbed out of the river.

“I grew up around here, so I’m pretty used to seeing hogs and whatever. But a bear is a pretty rare sight, so it didn’t even cross my mind,” Futrell told WKMG.

The video, posted to Facebook on Tuesday, June 4, was recorded near High Banks Marina, about a mile from the mouth of the Wekiva River, he said. The area is about a 25-mile drive north of Orlando.

Futrell, who fronts a band called Varanger, says he recorded the “real life pokemon battle” scene while desperately trying to keep control of the kayak.

His biggest concern was that one of the combatants might turn tail and head his direction, WKMG reported

Black bears are native to Florida and can match the weight of alligators. Males average 250 to 450 pounds, but the state record is 760 pounds, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

The first alligator that challenged the bear was significantly “bigger” than Futrell’s 10-foot kayak, he said on Facebook. However, the bear “literally couldn’t have cared less.”

“When he got out, he just seemed kind’ve annoyed,” Futrell said.

This story was originally published June 5, 2024 at 2:52 PM with the headline "Bear out for swim swats away two aggressive alligators in Florida river, video shows."