A 2-year-old black bear found orphaned on a freezing winter night is now king of the playground.
The impressive tetherball skills of LG, aka Eli, is drawing attention to the young bruin living at Animal Ark, Inc. in Reno, Nev.
A video of LG playing tetherball was posted to YouTube Saturday. By Monday at 3:30 p.m., it garnered nearly 80,000 hits.
“The first time he went into the yard he got donked by the ball - he's smart that way!” the sanctuary tweeted Monday.
Anthony Flemming was visiting the sanctuary for the first time when he captured the playful bear on camera.
"It was crazy, I couldn't believe it," Flemming said, adding that he hopes Animal Ark benefits from the fast-growing popularity of his video.
LG was brought to Animal Ark after he was rescued from the freezing meadows along Mount Rose Highway in Nevada, according to the sanctuary's website.
Local
Get Los Angeles's latest local news on crime, entertainment, weather, schools, COVID, cost of living and more. Here's your go-to source for today's LA news.
The tiny bear was malnourished, weighing just 14 pounds – a fraction of the 60 to 100 pounds bear cubs need to sport during winter months.
“The cub would not have lasted another night by itself,” the sanctuary said.
During LG’s first veterinary exam, the tops of both his ears fell off due to frostbite. And the rescuers who dubbed the cub LG (for “Little Girl”) discovered the bruin was actually a little guy.
His ears are on the mend, and LG is now a permanent resident of Animal Ark.
More Southern California Stories:
