Step One: The polar bear dips downwards as he prepares to take the plungeWhen living in the wilds of northern Canada, miles from the nearest icy pool, what's a bear to do when he wants to have a wash?
One athletic polar bear solved his dilemma by rolling in the snow... but he was so enthusiastic he ended up toppling head over heels.
Step two: The bear's head disappears into the snow as he bends in halfHis escapades were captured on film by photographer John Tangney who was on holiday with wildlife enthusiasts on Hudson Bay, Canada.
The adroit gymnast then performed the trick three more times, to the delight of the tourists who applauded his efforts.
The visitors had been watching the young male hunt during a Tundra Buggy tour in Cape Churchill.
Mr Tangney from Portland, Oregon, US, said: 'Our guide told us the polar bears would sometimes hear lemmings or voles moving under the snow, and poke their heads down to catch a quick snack.
'So when we saw this bear putting his head down, we thought that's what he must be doing. But instead of coming up with food, his head suddenly popped up between his legs.
'We really did not know what was going on - it was very strange and he looked so funny.
Step three: The bear propels his legs over his head in a quick movement
Step four: The bear finishes his tricky manoeuvre with a triumphant grin'He rolled all the way over, head over heels, just like he was doing a somersault, then sat up and looked right at us.
'The funniest thing was, he actually did another two or three somersaults after this and kept looking over at us.'
Although they can be fierce predators, polar bears from Hudson Bay have previously been snapped playing with sled dogs.
The 60-year-old added: 'It was like he felt he was getting attention doing this and was having fun with it.
'I just love the expression on his face at the end - I'm not sure whether he's waiting for a round of applause or wondering what all the fuss is about.'
source: dailymail
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