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Black bear goes for a swim in St. Johns River

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Cellphone video captured a black bear going for a swim Friday in the St. Johns River. 

Raoul Hosein told News4Jax he shot the footage while he was jet skiing on the St. Johns River off Heckscher Drive on Jacksonville's Northside. 

The video shows the bear in the middle of the channel. Hosein said he later saw the bear go ashore and run off. 

WATCH: Video shows bear swimming in St. Johns River

According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, bears are good swimmers, and are known to swim long distances. 

The Weather Authority Chief Meteorologist John Gaughan said the the high temperature Friday at the Jacksonville International Airport was 88 degrees. So it's possible the bear was just trying to cool off by taking a dip in the water.


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