Terrifying security footage captures man's encounter with black bear in his own garage: 'Unforgettable experience'

A man returning to his garage found a startled black bear, which charged at him on sight. 

Security footage captured the terrifying event, and the man, Alex Gold (@xandr_bc), shared it in a viral Instagram post.

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A post shared by Alex Gold (@xandr_bc)

What's happening?

"I've met bears before but never as close as it was this time. Unforgettable experience!" Alex wrote in his post. 

As he turned to step into his own garage, the bear became alarmed and ran toward Alex. Using effective survival skills, Alex backed away slowly while clapping his hands and keeping his eyes on the bear. 

At the end of the video, a bear cub is briefly seen on camera, making the entire encounter even more dangerous, as female animals can be more aggressive when protecting their young. 

Alex made it safely out of the situation, and the bear and her cub took off into the yard. "This man's instincts are top tier," one Instagrammer commented.

This close call is one of several that have occurred lately due in part to the climate crisis.

Why are human-wildlife encounters concerning?

Human-wildlife interactions can be dangerous for both people and animals. Unfortunately, rising global temperatures along with human population growth and habitat destruction have led to close calls and dangerous situations. 

When wildlife lose their habitats and critical resources, they look elsewhere for food, water, and shelter. Land development has contributed to the loss of ecosystems, while the climate crisis has resulted in resource shortages. 

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Protecting the environment, on the other hand, helps protect our communities from high-risk human-wildlife encounters and allows people and animals to coexist more peacefully while also promoting critical biodiversity and healthy ecosystems. 

What should you do when encountering wildlife?

To keep yourself safe, you can follow basic rules to respect wildlife. Never provoke animals or get too close to wildlife (even for a photo op). If you're in an area regularly populated by carnivores, travel in groups of three or more, and keep your dog on a leash. 

Some encounters can't be avoided. If you find yourself face-to-face with a dangerous animal, make yourself as big as possible and make a lot of noise. Proper behavior varies for different animals, so it's always wise to be aware of the wildlife that lives in any areas you plan to occupy. 

Efforts to reduce pollution, secure natural resources, and restore ecosystems can help us protect wildlife and ourselves by reducing our chance encounters.

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