During a seven-month observational stint, photographer Igor Shpilenok discovered that the Kronotsky Nature Reserve in Russia’s far east is crawling with tweaking brown bears, addicted to sniffing aviation fuel.
A small number of the more brazen, shameless members from the 700 strong Kronotsky brown bear population will stalk grounded choppers, eager to get their next hit from the fuel residue left behind after the chopper takes off. Fuel drums used to power generators are an addict’s mother-load, with Shpilenok noting:
“The bear will spend a long time sniffing into the smell and will even
roll on his back on the ground there. After a while he will dig a hole
in the ground, lay down in it with his belly up to the sky, and will
stay for a while in this “nirvana” position.“
Providing there is a constant supply, the bears remain perennially chilled, splayed on the ground, looking up to the sky, deep in thought. Why can’t we hibernate ALL the time? Hey, that cloud looks like a beehive. Why does my face feel funny?
So frequent are the visits from the buzz-seeking bears, Shipolenok and his team were able to give them names which is cute, kinda.
“Before we had a chance to secure the barrels near the house, the local
female-bear, who I call Suzemka, became interested in them. Apparently, she is fascinated by the smell of fuel!“
For pictures of bears getting high, check out Shpilenok’s blog.
You won’t regret it.
While it has yet to be definitively proven, there is evidence to suggest that Polar Bears also enjoy getting a buzz on.
via Huffington Post
Picture by Joe Klamar/Getty Images
