He’s sadder than your av-er-age bear.
A “depressed” black bear sulking on the side of a Florida road garnered so much attention Thursday that police had to warn gawkers against taking selfies with the brooding bruin.
The bear was seen moping beneath a telephone post alongside Highway 98 in Santa Rosa Beach, melancholily watching cars zip through the wooded area, photos of the animal show.
The black bear appeared too dejected to run when cars pulled over on the side of the road to snap pics of the unusually behaving animal — giving some daredevils the courage to get too close for a picture.
“Famous last words, ‘If not friend, why friend shaped?’” the Walton County Sherrif’s Office teased on Facebook.
“Because this black bear is stressed depressed lemon zest,” police continued.
“Onlookers were trying to take selfies with the bear and he’s clearly not in the mood for pictures.”
Despite the vibes some gawkers were picking up, officials said the big beast was showing clear signs of aggression.
From pictures alone, experts were able to determine the obvious: “the bear has shown signs of severe stress.”
Biologists from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission were dispatched to investigate the situation, but by the time they arrived, the bear had moseyed back into the woods.
“The bear did not appear to be injured. It may have just been overheated and was resting before moving on,” a FWC spokesperson told The Guardian.
Black bears are a common sight in Flordia, especially in the spring and summer when juveniles leave their mothers to seek out new habitats.
Floridians are well-educated in bear safety tips — but the sad-looking beast was sullen enough for plenty to forget everything they’d been taught.
“Poor guy… I can see how deceptive the level of danger is…he just looks like he needs a hug, or a big [pot of honey],” one person wrote on Facebook.
“Awe poor guy looks so sad and defeated with all the trees being cut down they are being forced where people are! Very sad,” wrote another.