WESLEYVILLE, N.L.—Jessica Andrews says she was “beyond amazed” when she saw a polar bear roaming around an island just outside her window in a small community on Newfoundland’s central coast and appearing to pray.

The 22-year-old photographer grabbed her camera and began snapping off 200 pictures as the large animal clambered up a hill to a white cross perched on top of the barren island.

She says she was captivated by the bear’s movements as it stood up and put a paw on the cross, then squatted down and looked up in apparent reverence as if in prayer.

Andrews says she didn’t notice it until she was going through the photos, exclaiming, “Holy crap, he’s praying!’”

She says the bear meandered around the area before disappearing from view Wednesday evening.

Police have issued a warning to people in the area to stay away from the bear.