A video of a man in Canada calmly confronting and chasing away a black bear that intruded into his garage has gone viral.
Several media outlets, including USA Today, reported on Alex Gold, a resident of Coquitlam in British Columbia, Canada, who encountered a wild black bear coming out of his garage on his return home,
Gold appeared startled but quickly regained his composure when the bear charged at him, clapping loudly and shouting, “No, no!” to warn it off.
Despite his efforts, the bear continued to move closer. Gold calmly jumped into the driver’s seat of his car, closed all the doors, and honked the horn several times. Gold’s swift action kept him safe, and the bear with her cub dispersed from the neighborhood.
” I’ve seen bears before, but never this close. It was an unforgettable experience,” Gold said as he uploaded the footage from the security cameras in and out of his garage.
After the updates, several people online expressed concern that making loud noises could provoke the bear, but bear behavioral experts deemed Gold’s actions appropriate.
Holly Reisner, co-executive director of the North Shore Black Bear Association, advised during an interview with CBC that one should take a deep breath and speak calmly but firmly when encountering a black bear. She explained that speaking helps the bear recognize you as a person, which can encourage it to leave. Additionally, she emphasized the importance of securely locking doors to prevent bears from entering enclosed spaces.
The U.S. National Park Service (NPS) recommends different responses depending on the bear species encountered. For brown and grizzly bears, the advice is to play dead. “If a brown or grizzly bear attacks, play dead. Lie still on the ground until the bear leaves the area. If the attack continues, try to fight back by targeting the bear’s face,” they advised.
“If a black bear attacks, do not play dead. Run to the nearest building or vehicle that you can lock yourself inside. If you cannot escape and have nowhere to hide, focus on hitting the bear’s face and snout with your fists and feet.”
If a bear views you as prey and continues to follow and attack, the NPS advises that the best approach is to fight back, regardless of the species.
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