Video footage captured recently in Pace, Fla., shows a man and his Yorkie attempting to scare off a black bear that had climbed onto a fence and threatened to enter the yard.
The thickset man is shown calling Max, the Yorkie, away from the fence. But Max remains at the base of the fence and continues to bark.
At one point the bear swipes its paw toward Max, causing him and man to temporarily back away.
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But the man continues to call his dog and clap loudly – a technique sometimes used by specialists to persuade bears to leave populated areas – and ultimately the bear climbs down the tree opposite the fence and disappears.
Was the man brave or foolish to remain so close to the bear, perhaps emboldening Max to do the same? Or did he handle the situation admirably?
Reads one of the more popular comments below the Viralhog Instagram post:
“That guy looks like he could take the bear on.”