A video showing a woman and her dog encountering a grizzly bear in Alberta, Canada, is going viral, and the wilderness camp where the woman was staying has now provided some key context. Wilderness Escape Adventures wrote in a follow-up post to the original video that the woman was only 100 meters from camp when the incident occurred. Thankfully, everyone walked away unscathed.
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In the original video, a grizzly bear repeatedly approaches the woman and her dog. At one point, it stands up on its hind legs. The woman holds her ground, speaking loudly, and she never turns her back on the bear. The dog and its owner stay remarkably calm, given the circumstances.
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Wilderness Escape Adventures chimed in to give more information about what happened.
“She was 100 meters from camp. Dog on a leash. No bear spray,” wrote Wilderness Escape Adventures in the follow-up post. “And a Grizzly that had absolutely no fear of humans or her dog. What unfolded next is something even a seasoned conservation officer couldn’t believe until he saw it with his own eyes. Always carry bear spray in prime grizzly country. Always.”
What Really Happened
The business further clarified in the comment thread that a client sent the original video, and the business owner was able to connect with her directly after the video went viral.
“Here is her story: She had just grabbed her morning coffee — spoon still in the mug — and stepped outside to walk her dog down the gravel driveway. His paws were sore so she only planned to be out 5 minutes, just 100 meters from camp. She picked up his leash, turned to head back, and two seconds later — there was the bear. She nearly didn’t pick up that leash in time.
The bear was acting different. Curious. Fixated on her dog. She had a gut feeling something was about to happen and hit record. What you see is what unfolded next.”
“That jingle you hear? Not a bear bell — it was the spoon in her coffee mug. When the camera starts shaking, that’s the moment she threw the mug down the driveway, which spooked the bear into the forest. When she saw him go to investigate it, she ran. [. . .] She darted into one of the tents at camp, while others nearby yelled and waved their arms as a distraction . . . until the bear wandered off and chased a moose.”
What Went Right, What Went Wrong
The business owner praised the woman for reacting well under extreme pressure, but it would have been better if she’d had bear spray.
“Here is the part that stings — if she had carried bear spray and used it when he first came too close, that bear would have learned to associate humans with something unpleasant and kept his distance. He never got that lesson. Which means the next person he approaches that boldly may face an even bolder bear.”
Watch the full story behind the viral video of the woman, her dog, and a grizzly bear in Alberta below (or see it here).
Header stock image by Don Grall/Getty Images
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