Several tourists were chased down by a momma black bear and her cubs at Yellowstone National Park this week and it was all caught on video.
The video shows tourists and photographers alike scrambling from a bridge away from a confused and agitated black bear. At one point the momma black bear even charges directly at a couple of the tourists, as a park ranger yells, “Keep going! Go! Go!”
Thankfully nobody was hurt in the scurry but the video definitely serves as a reminder to tourists heading to any national parks to keep their distance from these wild animals (usually 100 yards is recommended in order to avoid such encounters). This is especially true in the spring when these bears are fresh out of hibernation and are in search of food.
Here is the video:
While black bears are much less aggressive than grizzly bears and usually very shy animals, I think videos like this show that black bears should still be taken serious wherever they may be encountered. In fact, Bob Gibson, Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks Communication & Education Program Manager, stated to NBC News that if these had been newborn black bears involved the situation could’ve easily turned deadly as the “momma bear” would’ve likely exhibited heightened aggression to protect her cubs.
As you can imagine, this isn’t the first time tourists have encountered bears in our national parks. Check out some of the footage below for other crazy encounters with bears.
(Warning: loud crying in the video below.)
These folks do a good job of avoiding eye contact, remaining calm while making noises, and preparing themselves just in case they have to use the bear spray as a last resort.
This vid deserves some acknowledgment as well…. (warning: slightly graphic images of a burned bison)
I still can’t believe how close these people were to this massive grizzly…
Obviously encountering a bear can be a pretty scary experience but here’s an infographic to think about in case you every find yourself in that circumstance.
One comment
Comments are closed.