A POLAR bear that floated 450 miles (720 kilometers) too far south on an ice floe has been flown back “home” by helicopter.

The lost predator, named Umka, came ashore in the remote Russian village of Tilichiki and wandered to the local police station “as if pleading for help.”

And help he got. Eight days after his arrival, an “Air Bear” rescue mission was staged by the Russian Emergencies Ministry to fly the wild animal back to the icy Chukotka region from where he had floated.

The area he had stumbled to on the Kamchatka Peninsula is considered too far south — too warm and with the wrong food — for polar bears to survive, so the rescue was vital.

Despite the danger, the beast became a local celebrity, with residents providing the forlorn male with freshly caught fish — and sweets.

A video shows the moment the beast was released just below the Arctic Circle after it was successfully transported “home” by plane.

The bear emerged from its traveling cage and at first hesitated about returning to the wild — but then ran into the distance.

A rescuer gave Umka encouragement from the roof of the cage.

Earlier there was a “mid-air alert” when the sedated giant suddenly awoke amid fears it would rock the Mi-8 helicopter or destroy its cage on the 450-mile flight to Navarin Cape, reported The Siberian Times.

“He was conscious during the flight, but did not rock the cage,” said a spokesman for the Kamchatka regional government.

“It was loud, he was afraid.

“According to hunters, the longer and more difficult the journey, the less likely that the animal will come to people later.”

The bear was freed — with three days’ supply of fish.

“They opened the cage door and released the animal,” said the spokesman.

“Umka almost immediately left the cage and, without even turning around to say goodbye, ran away.”

Vets had examined the bear before its release and found the animal was healthy.

Kamchatka wildlife consultant Alexander Selnitsyn said, “The animal is in excellent condition.

“He is well-fed, and has normal subcutaneous fat.

“This is not surprising, because in the last days he was fed here, as if for slaughter.”

Such ice floe odysseys are rare for polar bears and often mean death for the confused creatures.

“This bear had the sense to go to the local police station,” said a local official.

(SD-Agencies)