Kit Roberts
A daring pair of photographers have shared a video showing how they deal with an approaching bear.
They might look 'friend-shaped' but please do not be fooled by bears. Cuddly and fluffy? Yes. Friendly? Nope. There is fluff, but there are also teeth, and claws.
So, a bear approaching you out on a hike is not great. However, there are ways to deal with the situation, even though it can vary. That said, the majority of the time, bears do just want to mind their own business, and won't bother us if we don't bother them.
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For these intrepid photographers, however, it really did not seem like things would go well. The bear isn't exactly walking quietly alongside them but instead is charging headlong at the photographers on the beach.
Fortunately the group knew how to handle the situation.
They responded by shouting and screaming aggressively at the charging ursine.
Now, you might think that this would have about as much effect as shouting and screaming at a runaway freight train, and before seeing this clip I would probably have agreed with you. I'm very happy I was wrong.
At the last second, the huge animal swerved away from the shouting men, as one man even ran forward towards it to effectively chase it off in the opposite direction.
A caption posted with the video to the Instagram page for tour guides Scenic Bear Viewing said: "We have been Bear guiding for over 10 years. This happened a few days ago, and it's not the first time.
"We are trained exactly for this situation. We are a professional bear guide operation. Although we will try to avoid this at all costs."
Meanwhile, another made a frankly stunning pun, calling it a 'kodiak moment'.
Official advice on bear encounters from Alaska's Department of Fish and Game states: "If you see a bear, avoid it and give the bear every opportunity to avoid you. If you do encounter a bear, remain calm and try to observe what the bear is doing. Chances are good you are not in danger. Most bears are interested only in protecting food, cubs or their 'personal space.' Once they feel there is no threat, they will move on."
It added: "You can’t outrun a bear. Bears can run much faster than a sprinter and, like dogs, they will chase fleeing animals. A charging bear might come within a few feet before running off. It’s important to stand your ground."
The more you know.