Imagine coming face-to-face with a bear during a hike. That's what happened to some hikers in California. Luckily, one of them was trained to deal with the situation.
Pubity (@pubity) posted a video on Instagram of a bear taking a stroll past a few hikers. One of the hikers said, "He's going to walk by." Another replied, "Are you sure?" The first hiker said, "Yeah."
What's happening?
The first voice belongs to Victoria Pham (@pham.victoria), who posted the original video on their own account. Pham is a former Yosemite Search and Rescue team member, so this wasn't their first bear encounter.
On their post, they wrote, "A feeling of peace came over me when I locked eyes with the bear. The eyes never lie. His body language told me he wasn't on the hunt, just taking a little stroll."
The bear walked right by Pham and down the trail. Once the bear had passed, Pham scared it off for the safety of the hikers.
One Instagram user commented, "You're lucky."
According to the BBC, many people move to the countryside without learning about the wild animals that live there. Not animal-proofing garbage bins can cause wildlife to become "food-conditioned threats," per the BBC.
Why is this close encounter with a bear concerning?
As humans encroach on wildlife habitats, these encounters happen more often — and they don't always end as well as this one.
According to the BBC, a grizzly bear attacked Vanessa Chaput in Haines Junction, Yukon, when she was walking her dog. Her dog got off the leash, and the bear charged at her and clamped down on her head. Chaput's claw clip broke in the bear's mouth, giving her time to escape, and then her dog's barking distracted the bear and allowed her to run to the road for help.
The BBC said Chaput "was left with puncture wounds up and down her arm, a broken bone, nerve damage, and torn triceps."
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Move somewhere else 🌎 The attack was unprovoked, and the animal was euthanized.
Euthanizing wildlife can cause sharp population declines in populations, as happened with U.S. gray wolves before 1960.
Declining populations can have dire consequences because biodiversity is essential. According to The Royal Society, healthy ecosystems are essential for the food humans eat and the air they breathe.
What's being done about wildlife and human encounters?
Luckily, according to Spanish National Research Council researcher Vincenzo Penteriani, there are things you can do to prevent attacks. Stick to groups of three or more adults, keep your dog on a leash, and avoid times when carnivores are most active, such as sunrise and sunset, Penteriani recommended, per the BBC.
The BBC said the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recommends "staying at least 100 yards (91m) away or the length of a football field."
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