She Didn’t Abandon Them Completely
Even though the mother bear had abandoned her cubs in the water, she had not completely given up on them. She had followed them from a safe distance, standing on land and watching anxiously as they moved through the water. However, while it was admirable that she was so devoted to caring for her cubs, doing so in this setting put them in harm’s way.
The fishermen had seen the mother standing on the bank, and they were concerned that if they touched the cubs or attempted to help them avoid drowning, the mother’s maternal instincts would take over, and they would be forced into a situation in which they would have to deal with an angry adult bear.