If you’ve ever seen a stray dog wander into someone’s yard, you often hear them shoo it away: “go on, get out of here!’ they’ll say. That’s exactly how he responds to the bear following him. What if you discovered a bear was following you silently? This bear seems to only want to be a part of things. Perhaps the bear was looking for company and was happy to see someone close to his track. A few individuals might flee or ball up. Both of these should be avoided if you ever encounter a bear. Hold your ground and remain motionless while slowly waving your arms. This will help the bear identify you as a human. It might go closer or stand on its hind legs to acquire a better view or smell. Typically, a standing bear is curious rather than dangerous. The man on the trail does something similar. He stands in place and waves his arms out, making a casual “go away” gesture. The bear shows confusion and dismay. Then the man keeps telling the bear to “go on, get!” He doesn’t want the bear to follow him, but then again, who would? Next to the trail is a tall hill full of trees and green plants. The man tells the bear to “Get up the hill.” After a few gestures and firm directions, the bear decides to go up the hill. He followed instructions begrudgingly. You see the bear walking up the hill in the man’s direction. You can tell from this bear’s mannerisms that it must be used to encountering humans. When it becomes apparent the bear is going to keep its distance, the man’s group of friends breaks out into laughter. It sounds like a combination of disbelief and relief. They were just as surprised as you will be that the bear listened to the man’s request. Could you imagine encountering a bear and then telling him to leave? It must have been a surprise for the bear too. What if the bear just wanted a little snack or didn’t want to be alone? Well, humans tend not to want to be alone either, but a bear can be intimidating company. You can’t help imagining what would have happened if the man had allowed the bear to follow them through the hike. A handful may hope the bear is tame enough for closer interactions, while most assume the bear will cause harm. Guess we’ll never know in this case since the bear decided to listen to the man. Check out the video if you are ready to see a neat interaction between an authoritative man and a reluctant bear!
