A video of a moose trying to outrun a grizzly bear has been taking over the internet the last few days, and it’s one you have to see to believe. Wildlife podcaster and bear biologist Wes Larson was in the right place at the right time to capture the scene as it unfolded right in front of him. He shared the video to Instagram on Saturday, June 15th.
Larson had shared the murder of a camper by a grizzly bear at the Soda Butte Campground in Montana on his podcast last year and since he was nearby again, he decided to go check it out. As he was looking for the camp site he noticed the moose running towards him, and watched it stop and turn around to see behind him. The grizzly comes into view, and the moose takes off again.
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Can you imagine watching this happen? I would’ve been so scared! The bear wasn’t interested in Larson because he wanted that moose; Larson was lucky he wasn’t attacked! Larson said in the video’s caption, “After the interaction was over and the unsuccessful bear grazed on clover in a field nearby, I checked the site number where the chase had just unfolded. It was Site 26, the very same location of the fatal mauling 14 years ago.” What a crazy coincidence!
Related: Wildlife Photographer Shares the Story Behind an Intimidating Photo of a Grizzly Bear
What To Do If You See a Bear
Moose and bears can both run about 35 miles per hour, so there’s no chance that you can outrun either of them. Grizzly bears are scary apex predators who are known to attack people. What should you do if you come face-to-face with one…especially if it’s a mama bear with cubs?
The National Park Service says that most attacks occur when bears are trying to defend their food, cubs, or space. If you happen to run across a bear, they’ll be just as surprised to see you as you are to see them. Try to remain calm (easier said than done!) and speak calmly so that they bear can identify you as human and non-threatening. Talk slowly and with a deep voice; bears want to be left alone and if they understand you’re not interested in them, they usually will just leave.
The last thing you want to do is scream, as bears could see that as a threat. Make yourself look bigger, but don’t make any sudden movements. Try to walk away slowly – NPS suggests walking sideways so that you can keep an eye on the bear. Do not run! They’ll see you as prey and they will chase you.
NPS does not recommend hiking alone and instead says to hike in groups, “A group is noisier and smellier. Bears like to keep their distance from groups of people.” All I know is that I hope I don’t ever have to do any of this because I never want to meet a bear face-to-face!
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