Newly unveiled photos showcasing bears engaging in delightful “splooting” at an Alaska national park have sparked excitement among bear enthusiasts and pet owners, prompting them to share their favorite splooting moments.
A surge of comments flooded the Katmai National Park and Preserve’s Facebook post dated December 12, featuring two captivating images of bears in the act of splooting. One photo captures a bear sprawled out on a beach, casting a relaxed gaze back towards the photographer.
“Now that is the look of relaxation!” exclaimed one commenter in response to the beach-bumming bear.
The second photo portrays a bear with its head comfortably resting on the sand. In the post, park officials humorously defined splooting as “A type of stretch that involves kicking one or both legs behind the body. See also: pancaking, frogging. Besides being a comfortable position, it’s an all-body stretch that cools down a bear’s body temperature. Well, whatever the reason, we hope the bears keep doing it!”
One commenter even shared a snapshot of Holly, the 2019 champion of Fat Bear Week, showcasing her splooting prowess near the water. “I think Holly wins as the best at Splooting!” declared the commenter, with several others concurring.
Among the diverse splooters featured in the comments were dogs, with owners proudly presenting photos of their pups demonstrating the art of splooting. “Ruby, our little brown bear, has mastered the art of splooting,” remarked a dog owner, sharing an image of their brown canine lying on a wooden floor with its back legs splayed out.
The variety didn’t end there – a Facebook user shared a charmingly different addition to the splooting collection: their snow-white bunny caught in the act. “Bunny sploots!” they joyfully declared.
Notably, this isn’t the first time Katmai National Park and Preserve has shared splooting bear photos. The last installment was in September, as reported by McClatchy News.
Katmai National Park and Preserve, situated in southern Alaska, lies approximately 265 miles southwest of Anchorage.