Would you let a 1,500-pound bear lick your face?
A man named Jim Kowalczik would. In a video posted on Facebook Monday, Kowalczik gets hugged and kissed by a huge Kodiak bear named Jimbo.
A founder of the Orphaned Wildlife Center in Otisville, New York, Kowalczik spent years living with and taking care of bears.
According to the organization’s website, Orphaned Wildlife Center became “incorporated” in 2015, though the staff have been “licensed wildlife rehabilitators” since 1996.
There are 11 bears living on their property, including Jimbo who at 20 years old is the largest and one of the oldest.
Kowalczik and the other staff members, Susan Kowalczik and Kerry Clair, are also pictured cuddling with the bears on the site.
Commenters on Facebook were curious if the bear had bad breath and what it feels like to be “kissed (licked) by such a beautiful creature.”
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A response from the Orphaned Wildlife Center assured them that the bear did not have bad breath and the tongue was soft “like a dog.”
The organization also responded to a comment expressing concern over humans playing with potentially dangerous animals.
“This bear was born in captivity and has lived with this man for 21 years,” the page wrote. “But animals are still always to be respected for what they are capable of.”
Though the staff said the bears wouldn't hurt other people, only the caretakers are allowed to interact with them.
The video, according to the Facebook page, was filmed a year ago, though it was posted on Monday.
Orphaned Wildlife Center could not be reached for comment.
