Video shows massive Katmai brown bear striding on two legs as it scans the river for salmon

Video from Katmai National Park and Preserve in Alaska shows an enormous brown bear moving through a river on its hind legs while watching the water for salmon.

Originally posted to Instagram by Sean Mcdermott (@seantheemcd), and shared on Reddit to great fanfare last week, the moment looks almost human.

What happened?

In the footage, the bear casually strolls through a river on its hind legs, like it's just out for a nice walk. The scene was captured in Katmai National Park, where brown bears are famous for gathering at fish-filled waterways before winter.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Sean Mcdermott (@seantheemcd)

The original post gained more than 9,000 likes on Instagram, but over on Reddit, where the clip took new life last week, it gained over 15,000 upvotes and four awards from paid users.

The animals there are also the stars of the annual Fat Bear Week, which highlights how much they bulk up ahead of hibernation. Bears usually stand upright to extend their view and pick up scents in the air, not to signal aggression. In this case, it seemed to be just an easier way to cross the river. 

Why does it matter?

For people unfamiliar with bear behavior, a bear on two legs can appear threatening, but it is often simply trying to learn more about its surroundings. 

While this video was taken from a safe distance, bear encounters can be dangerous for people and the bears. As human development continues to expand into wild habitats, encounters with animals are becoming more frequent. 

What are people saying?

People were having a fun time joking around about the odd, human-like behavior of the bear. 

Many posted comments imagining what the bear would be saying if it could talk. 

"Pardon me, gentlemen, have you seen the trolley?" one person wrote. 

Another referenced the funny "Don't be suspicious" scene from the TV series Parks and Recreation.

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