A polar bear cub with its mother before the rescue. Photo by Vitaly Dvoryachenko

The animals were immobilised so that the rescuers could remove the tin from the bear cub’s mouth. Rescuers from the left: Ilya Petukhov and Denis Vasilyev. Photo by Vitaly Dvoryachenko

Rescuers Denis Vasilyev and Ilya Petukhov remove the tin from the bear cub’s mouth. Photo by Vitaly Dvoryachenko

Rescuers Denis Vasilyev and Ilya Petukhov remove the tin from the bear cub’s mouth. Photo by Vitaly Dvoryachenko

The rescued bear cub and its mother on Wrangel Island. Photo by Vitaly Dvoryachenko