ALBERTA, CANADA, June 27 (Billings News Online) — A viral video from Alberta’s Kananaskis Country is drawing renewed attention to bear safety for hikers and dog walkers in grizzly country.
The encounter is reported to have happened near Mount Engadine Lodge on the Rummel Lake Trail in Spray Lakes Provincial Park, where footage shows a woman backing away slowly and speaking to a grizzly bear as it circles and repeatedly charges.
The reports said no one was hurt.
Bear-safety guidance from the U.S. National Park Service and the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee says people should not run from a bear. The agencies say running can trigger a predatory reaction, and that responses should depend on the bear’s behavior.
The guidance says to back away slowly from a bear that is not engaged, stand your ground during a bluff charge and use bear spray when appropriate.
The Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee says bears can run faster than humans for short distances, making calm movement and distance important for travelers in bear country.
