Group of friends hide behind bush after being stalked by giant black bear
Topics: World News, Animals
Claire Reid
Featured Image Credit: SWNS
Topics: World News, Animals
A group of hikers were forced to hide behind a bush after a huge black bear stalked them for half an hour through the trail.
Geoffrey Zhou, 21, was hiking with four friends along the Howe Sound Crest trail, in Vancouver, Canada, when they saw the bear appear from the mist. You can see footage of the bear - and their reaction - here:
Recalling the incident, Zhou, a student at University of British Columbia, said: "We first noticed the bear when we caught a glimpse of a dark shadow emerging from the fog.
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"It stayed at a constant pace, so we hiked back at a slightly faster pace as to not alarm it while maintaining distance." Which I reckon is probably easier said than done.
As the group attempted to get themselves out of there as safely as possible, the huge bear continued to follow them for around half an hour - forcing them to hike a kilometer up the trail backwards, until they were able to hide behind a bush.
Zhou added: "After around a kilometer we were able to find a part of the trail which had a gradual slope up the mountain on the side.
"I directed my friends to climb up and crouch down behind the shrubs. They were shocked and wanted to run.
"After a few minutes of waiting, the bear emerged along the trail and was likely under 15 feet away from me as it passed by."
Fortunately, Zhou had prior wilderness training, which helped him to know the best course of action in the situation and to remain calm.
He said: "As we were hiding behind the shrubs, I informed my friends to take off their packs in the event that it charged up at us.
"I would empty the bear spray on it, and we would make a run for it, possibly throwing our packs at it to create some distance.
"My first instinct was to immediately pull out my bear spray and alert my friends to stay behind me and start slowly walking backward along the trail without making any sudden movements."
The Ontario tourist board’s advice mirrors what Zhou and his pals did when they had a run in with the bear.
It advises: “Stop. Do not panic. Remain calm. Generally, the noisier the bear is, the less dangerous it is, provided you do not approach. The noise is meant to ‘scare’ you off and acts as a warning signal.”
It also says you should never run, climb a tree or attempt to swim, and that you should avoid eye-contact with the bear.