But sometimes, nature lends a hand, and friendly sea creatures will come to the aid of people in need. That was the case for one stranded boater, who got some divine inspiration from a seal. Scott Thompson, a boater from Southern California, was out on the Santa Barbara Channel on his boat, the Miss Grace. 

According to GoFundMe, Scott realized the weather wasn’t favorable and turned the boat back towards land. But soon, a disaster occurred: the boat was rocked by the choppy water and Scott got knocked into the channel. 

Making things even worse, the boat, engines still running, continued on without him, making it impossible to swim back on board. With only shorts and a t-shirt and no land in sight, Scott soon realized what a dire situation he was in. 

“I thought to myself, great, this is how I’m going to die,” Scott told ABC 7. “Today is the day I’m going to die.” Scott swam onward, looking for a lifeline. He was motivated by the thought of seeing his family again, terrified of dying and leaving them alone. But the water was freezing cold, it was pitch black, and a panicked Scott realized he was up against overwhelming odds. 

“The panic set in it was like, wow, this is a pretty heavy situation,” he said. However, he soon got a nudge of support that gave him the strength to keep going. 

A harbor seal went underneath him, and nudged him, “like a dog comes up and nudges your leg,” he told ABC. “They thawed him out and warmed him up,” the fundraising page reads. “He is a legend as far as we’re concerned. It’s truly a miracle that he was able to survive all of the elements and the cold Pacific Ocean for that many hours.” 

He spent the night in the hospital, and had hypothermia, rhabdomyolysis, and was dehydrated and covered in bruises and cuts. But now he is going to be fine: “He’s currently home with his family, sore exhausted, humbled and grateful… and just so happy to be alive.” 

A GoFundMe page was set up to repair the damage to his boat, and currently has nearly $13,000 in donations. What a miracle Scott survived. Never underestimate the power of the human spirit — or a little encouragement from a friendly animal.
Source

Ben Clark and Scott Linton were paddling on the Sheep River in Southwestern Alberta when they spotted the unexpected. The two experienced whitewater kayakers were taking a rest-stop after navigating the technical rapids upstream, when they noticed a moose calf curled up on a cliff shelf opposite them—just barely above river level. 

The calf spotted the kayakers almost simultaneously. It stood up, lost its footing, and helplessly fell into the fast-moving water below. The Sheep River is primarily glacier-fed and can reach frigidly low temperatures during springtime. 

Cold water aside, Clark knew full well that the calf, if unhelped, was headed straight towards one of the larger rapids on the river. A swim through it could prove fatal. The duo knew they needed to act fast.

“We jumped out of the boats and went into rescue mode at the same time trying to keep an eye out for mama,” Clark recalled. In late spring, cow moose with young calves are very protective and are known to attack humans who come too close. 

Linton waded out into the river while holding onto a throw rope and managed to grab the calf from the flow. 

With assistance from Clark, he brought the calf to the river’s edge and began to rub it’s body to retain its warmth. Linton and Clark were quick to leave the scene after their rescue success. 

“The calf walked up into the sun and started to call for mom so we got the heck outta there,” said Clark.

 
Source

And recently, one dying woman got a very special visit from her favorite animal. Lisa McDonald and her sister have been caring for their sick mother, who has been in palliative care. They were looking for ways to make her final days special — and were inspired by their mother’s lifelong obsession with the classic Disney film, Bambi. 

“She has Bambi statues everywhere, she is wearing a Bambi T-shirt in her bed,” Lisa wrote in a Facebook post in the group The Kindness Pandemic. “My sister and I and the rest of the family that are supporting us are also wearing Bambi T-shirts… we are calling them our nursing uniforms.” 

 As the mother’s health deteriorated, the family decided to surprise her with a very visit from a real-life Bambi — an actual deer! When the deer enters the room, the old woman is overjoyed and stunned with surprise. The deer, who happens to be named “Bambi,” came from a petting farm operated by a couple named Chris and Simone. 

The deer was orphaned and hand-raised by the couple. Lisa writes that they paid a special visit, driving two hours from Melbourne “out of pure love and kindness” just to bring some joy to the deer-loving old woman. “I cannot thank them enough for what they have done for my mum and my family,” Lisa wrote. 

It was definitely worth it: the deer’s visit made for an unforgettable, heartwarming moment, as the mom gently pets the real-life Bambi from her bed. It’s clear how much Bambi and deer have meant to this woman’s life, and the visit was certainly a highlight of her final days. 

Her daughter says that she will keep her obsession close to her heart until the very end: Lisa writes that her mom will be cremated in one of her Bambi shirts.

  We’re so glad this woman was able to find such joy thanks to a visit from this sweet deer. It goes to show the comforting power of animals.
Source

Kermode bears are a subspecies of the American black bear, and are known for their distinctive white or cream coloured coat, which is caused by a rare regressive gene. Only one in ten black bears are said to carry this rare gene and this photographer was overjoyed to catch one on camera. 

Alexander Ley, 24, from Berlin, Germany, captured the incredible sighting when he travelled to Gribbell Island, Canada, in search of bears to photograph. 

Alexander said: “I was on the look out to photograph all different type of bear, and saw a few black bears pass me by. “Then out of nowhere, I saw a white creature appear and walk right towards me –I then realised that it was a Kermode bear! 

“The bear is called ‘Boss’ by the locals, as he is a very strong and dominant male. 

“Kermode bears are extremely skilled hunters, and I was lucky enough to experience the live action of him catching salmon right in front of me.” Source