Black Bears Climb in Family’s backyard Pool

A family in Rockaway, New Jersey watched helplessly as a family of black bears climbed into their above-ground backyard pool.

Tim Basso, his wife, and children videotaped a mother black bear and her five cubs swimming in the pool, climbing in and out, playing with the children’s water toys and the family’s swing set and slide, with the mother bear finally ripping out the pump next to the pool.

Basso told News 12 New Jersey, “I thought they would get a drink and move on, but they stayed.” He added that the bears stayed in the pool for roughly one hour.

The videotape shows the bears in the pool, with the Basso’s young daughter exclaiming, “There’s bears in the Pool!” Basso’s wife calmly replies, “They’re not going anywhere as long as the mom is in the water.” The daughter cries out, “They took my floatie! One is eating my car! Mommy, he’s eating my car!” Then the young girl says shyly, “I think it’s the baby.”

Later, the young girl, upset, asks, “Will we have to buy a new pool?” and starts to cry.

The mother calms her daughter, at one point saying, “They’re playing, they’re brothers and sisters.”