Bearing it all: Polar bear up-close and personal in stunning snaps
THIS photograph shows the staggering moment a wild polar bear proved he was far from camera-shy.
The snapshot taken by quick-thinking Bill Drumm when the bear decided to get up close and personal with the photographer's camera.
Lucky Mr Drumm, from Monterey in California, USA, managed to capture the friendlier side of the enormous animal as it clambered up against the side of the bus towards him.
Standing straight at 11ft tall, the bear – nicknamed Scar – was leaning against a Tundra buggy, which was ferrying tourists through Churchill in Manitoba, Canada.
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But rather than cower inside the bus as the animal peered in – 29-year-old Mr Drumm whipped out his camera to take a portrait shot of the dangerous polar bear.
I was taking a photo of him when suddenly he jumped up on his back legs and stood right up to the side of the vehicle
He said: "Out of nowhere the bear got up and headed straight for our buggy.
"I was taking a photo of him when suddenly he jumped up on his back legs and stood right up to the side of the vehicle.
"When he was up there he took a few big whiffs of the air and looked around at the surprised people inside.
"Everyone was really shocked the first time he jumped up like that.
"I couldn't believe my luck that my camera was ready and waiting for the bear to take his own selfie."
Polar bears are the largest living species of bear with males weighing in at an ice-breaking 110stone (700kg).
The snow-white species is currently classified as vulnerable – which means the International Union for Conservation of Nature believe the animal is likely to become endangered if its conditions do not significantly improve.
Hunting and global climate change have both been cited as reasons for the decline in polar bear numbers throughout the world.