ALBERTA, CANADA, June 27 (Billings News Online) — A video of a woman slowly backing away from a charging grizzly bear on an Alberta hiking trail is prompting fresh warnings for travelers to carry bear spray and keep dogs leashed in bear country.
Alberta Forestry and Parks said the encounter happened near Mount Engadine Lodge on Rummel Lake Trail in Spray Lakes Provincial Park, in Kananaskis Country. The woman was walking with a dog when the bear began following and charging her, according to the footage and related reports.
In the video, the woman keeps retreating and talking to the bear instead of running. The bear circles and charges again before backing off.
The National Park Service says people should not run from a surprised bear because it can trigger a predatory response, and the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee says bears can outrun humans for short distances. The committee advises backing away slowly when a bear is not engaged and standing ground during a bluff charge.
The guidance depends on the bear’s behavior, and both agencies recommend using bear spray when appropriate. No injuries were reported in the encounter.
