Tag: black bear

Watch: A bear so fat that it’s jokingly described as a ‘hippo’

Trail-cam footage captured in Minnesota shows a black bear that is obviously ready for hibernation wandering through the forest.

A Minnesota group that studies wolves on Saturday shared trail-cam footage of an incredibly fat black bear that looked beyond ready for hibernaiton.

“Talk about a unit! This bear is clearly ready for the long nap,” the Voyageurs Wolf Project proclaimed via Instagram.

The footage was captured a month ago but only recently discovered as Voyageurs Wolf Project staff inspected footage. The bear has almost undoubtedly denned up by now.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DCuCRINPeGw/?igsh=NjZiM2M3MzIxNA%3D%3D

“That is a massive black bear, one follower observed.

Another follower jokingly captioned the footage: “The rare North American hippo.”

Can you spot the black bear peeking from the forest?

The images were captured by a USFWS employee in central Washington. Hint: Not all black bears have black fur.

Can you spot the black bear peeking from the forest in the Pacific Northwest?

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service asked a similar question Monday via social media and provided the main image and a second image showing a portion of the bear in a different location.

We’ve provided both images below, with the answer circled at the bottom of this post.

Can you spot the bear?

“In the Pacific Northwest, fish hatchery employees are accustomed to wildlife encounters, including black bears,” the USFWS post states.  “These photos were taken during a hike earlier this summer to check on water levels above Leavenworth National Fish Hatchery, in the mountains of central Washington.”

Hint: Not all black bears have black fur, which appears evident in both of Mathew Maxey’s images.

Second image provided by USFWS Pacific Region

Viewers can click here to view the USFWS post. You might discover that I guessed the correct answer in the comments.

I’m also providing the answer in the image posted below.

Black bear looking toward the camera.

Watch: Black bear approaches girl, grabs her leg in ‘scary moment’

A 17-year-old girl stood very still when a black bear walked up to her near a mountain lake in California as a friend videoed the encounter.

A 17-year-old girl stood very still when a black bear walked up to her at a mountain lake in California as a friend videoed the encounter.

Kimberly Mendoza and the friend were at Lake George in the Mammoth Lakes area when the encounter occurred, as reported by Tony Spitz of Veuer.

[Note: On some servers, viewers might need to click the TikTok link to watch video.]

@fatima.beas

#fypシ゚viral #bear #lakegeorgemammoth #mammothlakes • • • • • • • • #whatwouldyoudo #bearattack #grusome #viciousbear #friendlybear

♬ Can I pet that dog – KaylaaWade

When the bear grabbed her leg, Mendoza casually pushed it away and then slowly walked toward her friend. The bear eventually turned and walked away, as well.

As the bear approached, the two didn’t have a clear exit as they were blocked by fallen tree limbs, and they didn’t run away for fear the bear would give chase.

Mendoza admitted to Spitz it was a “pretty scary moment.”

Montana angler injured by black bear in surprise encounter

The man was fishing alone on the Stillwater River when the incident occurred. The bear will not be tracked.

A Montana angler was injured Wednesday by a black bear that “swatted” his face as he fished alone on the Stillwater River near the town of Beehive.

According to Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, the adult male did not seek medical attention after the incident.

The bear, which seemed to have reacted defensively after its surprise encounter, left the area immediately. The FWP stated that it does not plan to track or trap the bear.

The agency urged outdoor enthusiasts to exercise extreme caution when in bear country, and to travel in groups whenever possible.

“Recreationists, including anglers, should be aware, especially in areas with abundant natural foods such as fruit and berries and where hearing may be limited along rivers and streams,” the FWP stated in a news release.

The agency added that black bears and grizzly bears “can be especially active this time of year as they prepare for winter hibernation.”

The Stillwater River, a tributary of the Yellowstone River, is a blue-ribbon trout fishery.

–Generic black bear image courtesy of ©Pete Thomas

Can you spot the bear? Yellowstone guide issues challenge

If you’re able to spot the black bear in the Yellowstone National Park image you’re either lucky or have a keen eye.

A Montana-based guide who leads hiking expeditions in Yellowstone National Park on Friday tweeted a landscape image and asked followers if they could spot the black bear.

“I’ve been told my more recent ‘Find the Animal Friday’ posts have been way too easy,” Douglas Scott declared. “This one is a little more challenging.”

Can you spot the black bear? Photo: Douglas Scott

Scott, who runs The Outdoor Society, granted ForTheWin Outdoors permission to use the image and supplied a second image that we’ve posted below to serve as a hint for those who might struggle initially to spot the bear (as I did.)

Can you spot the bear in the images posted above? (Answer below.)

Scott told FTW Outdoors that he captured the image June 21 from above the Lamar River “on a perfectly clear day” in the park’s northern range.

“It was definitely a fun spot as my client was amazed I saw it so easily from so far away,” Scott recalled.

Scott’s X followers chimed in with guesses but, as of Sunday night, only one had pinpointed the bear’s location.

When I guessed, Scott informed me that I had found “the shadow of a tree.”

Another guess was met with the reply: “Unfortunately, you are incorrect. You most definitely found a non-animal shadow though!”

Black bear is pictured in the clearing barely left of center. Photo: Douglas Scott

The image posted immediately above shows the bear when Scott was closer (or zoomed-in). Readers, if they choose, can use landmarks in the image to match the location of the bear in Scott’s original image.

To view the answer, click on Scott’s tweet and scroll to Matt Inman’s comment. Or simply view the image posted below.

Scott specializes in leading day trips to remote areas “beyond the boardwalks” of Yellowstone National Park. The hikes typically last between four and seven hours.

Arrow points to black bear. Photo: Douglas Scott

Black bear takes swipe at a male walker, knocking him to ground

Colorado wildlife officials put up signs about increased bear activity in Steamboat Springs with instructions to “stay calm” and “don’t run” if you see a bear.

A male walker in Colorado sustained minor injuries when a black bear swiped at him from behind, knocking him to the ground.

The man was on a morning walk Tuesday morning when the encounter occurred on a path connecting Walton Creek Road and Mt. Werner Circle in Steamboat Springs near the ski resort, Colorado Parks and Wildlife reported Wednesday.

The man, who had noticed a yearling cub in the area before the attack, received scrapes to his arm from falling. He finished his walk before seeking first aid. He notified CPW of the attack around 9:45 a.m.

“Local wildlife officers have set up bear traps and placed signage to notify those walking the trail of increased bear activity,” the CPW stated. “As of Wednesday morning, no bears have been caught in the traps.

“This is still an ongoing investigation.”

Rachael Gonzales, CPW northwest region public information officer, told the Craig Daily Press that residents and visitors to Steamboat Springs need to practice good “living in bear country” principles.

“If you see a bear, don’t run,” Gonzales said. “Stand still, stay calm and slowly back away until the bear is out of sight. If you see cubs, their mother is usually close by. Leave the area immediately to give them space.

“As cool as it is to get these videos and photos, it’s not worth it. Make noise. Don’t panic. Being alert, keeping your dog on a leash and knowing what to do if you encounter a bear is important.”

Generic photos of a black bear with cub and a black bear courtesy of Mass.gov and Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department.

Watch: ‘Beautiful’ sight as bears pass beneath skiers on chairlift

Skier who captured the footage says the sighting at Heavenly Resort helped “solidify this place as most beautiful.”

Last week we shared footage showing a black bear sprinting across a ski lift at Heavenly Mountain Resort and nearly colliding with the skier who captured the footage.

On what appears to have been the same day, last Sunday, a different Heavenly skier captured the accompanying footage showing a momma bear and two cubs passing beneath a chairlift.

Nolan Brown stated via Instagram:

“Been skiing Heavenly my whole life, never seen anything like this. From the family of bears and the fog covered lake to the sun peaking over the mountain on first chair, it solidifies this place as most beautiful.”

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A post shared by Nolan Brown (@nolannbrown)

Heavenly is in South Lake Tahoe on the California-Nevada border. The Sierra Nevada region boasts a  large black bear population, but most of the bruins have denned up for the winter by early December.

Watch: Bear charging across snow nearly collides with skier

A skier at Heavenly Resort in South Lake Tahoe on Sunday captured footage of his near-collision with a large black bear that charged in front of him as he descended the slope.

A skier at Heavenly Resort in South Lake Tahoe on Sunday captured footage of his near-collision with a large black bear that charged in front of him as he descended the slope.

The accompanying footage originally appeared on TikTok via the user, @Tao7570, who shared the clip with ABC 10 News.

The user also shared the footage as a Facebook reel with the description: “Almost hit a bear skiing down Ridgerun [at] Heavenly. Didn’t realize it was a bear until it was too close.”

As viewers can see, the bear is intent on crossing the ski run and has to navigate through downhill skiers and snowboarders. The bear almost collides with the TikTok user, who keeps his camera phone trained on the fleeing bruin.

At no point did the bear act menacingly toward the skiers as it bounded toward and into the wilderness.

Although South Lake Tahoe is famous for its black bear population, most of the animals have denned up for the winter.

Watch: Bear devours food on table inches from calm picnickers

A picnic table was taken over by a black bear while picnickers remained still. They were helpless to do anything to save their food.

A picnic table in Mexico was taken over by a hungry black bear while a mother, shielding her frightened son, and a friend remained calm, as they were helpless to do anything to save their food.

Silvia Macias was with a family friend celebrating her son’s 15th birthday with a picnic of tacos and enchiladas at Chipinque, a park in San Pedro Garza Garcia on the outskirts of Monterrey, when the close encounter occurred, according to the Associated Press and PetHelpful.

When the bear hopped onto the table, Macias covered the eyes of her son, held him close and remained frozen in place, as did the friend, while another friend, Angela Chapa, videotaped the close encounter.

The video was posted to TikTok and Instagram on Tuesday.

 

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A post shared by EarthPix 🌎 Travel (@earthpix)

Eventually, the well-fed bear got down from the table and moved on, as can be seen in the TikTok version.

“Macias explained to PetHelpful that she is a midwife and a yoga instructor, which probably explains why she was able to stay so calm in this situation,” PetHelpful wrote.

Macias told Associated Press she was concerned that her son “might get scared, adding, “Santiago is very afraid of animals, a cat or dog, any animal scares him a lot. That’s why I covered his eyes, because I didn’t want him to see it and scream or run. I was afraid that if he got scared or screamed or scared the bear, that the bear would react.”

TikTok commenters praised the mother’s ability to remain so calm in a stressful and scary situation. Among the comments:

“My lord. You handled this so calmly. How?!”

“Mama you are so brave. You did great!”

“Brave, brave, momma.”

“Aw, the way mama pulled him back slowly when it came close. They were so brave. Such a scary moment.”

Macias told PetHelpful that her son hasn’t been able to view the video because he found the situation too scary. In should be said that the birthday tacos were replaced and all ended well.

Meanwhile, Macias dismissed any hero talk, telling AP, “I just think I’m a mother who protected her cub.”

Closest thing to a black bear vs. grizzly fight unfolds at Yellowstone

A black bear was enjoying a bison meal in Yellowstone when a grizzly bear happened upon the scene. It ended with an unexpected result.

A black bear was enjoying a meal of bison along a river in Yellowstone National Park recently when a grizzly bear happened upon the scene.

In most cases, the usual response would be for the black bear to flee and avoid a confrontation with the fiercer grizzly. But that’s not what unfolded before Ron Sterbenz as he videotaped the encounter.

Instead, the black bear ran the grizzly off. Sterbenz told USA Today/For The Win Outdoors that he might never capture an actual fight between a black bear and a grizzly, “but this was super close to it.”

Sterbenz, who regularly posts wildlife videos on his YouTube Yellowstone Video channel, described the encounter to USA Today/For The Win Outdoors:

“From time to time you see black bears avoid grizzlies by giving them some space or they take the other side of a pond, lake or meadow but have never seen black bear head straight towards a grizzly without sizing up the situation or challenge first. I had never seen black bear go head first into a possible confrontation. Size wise this is by far one of the largest male black bears I have seen and while the grizzly might be young he is still a pretty sizable bear.

“While recording I thought what I saw was black bear versus grizzly but wasn’t completely sure until I starting working on the video.  Toward the end the grizzly starts urinating which I assume is scent marking and trying to show dominance, but I am not really sure what it meant and never saw a bear do that before.  Some folks think bears are quick to conflict in the form of fight, but you can see that neither really wanted to risk that.  Not sure if I will ever capture a full on black bear versus grizzly fight out there, but this was super close to it.

“A couple other things I took away from this event was that black bears are not nearly as passive as people sometimes think and in this case charged a grizzly not once but a few times. The other thing was how the grizzly really tested the other bear and backdown after bluff charges that failed. Might be a good thing to remember when confronted, as long as there isn’t a carcass between you and the bear. Personally, I prefer to watch from a safe distance and never find out.”