ALBERTA, CANADA, June 27 (Billings News Online) — A viral video from Alberta’s Kananaskis Country is putting bear-safety rules back in focus for hikers and travelers heading into grizzly country, after a woman and her leashed dog were followed and charged on a trail.
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 footage shows the woman backing away slowly as the bear circles and charges.
In the video, she can be heard repeating, “No. Go away. Stop it.” No injuries were visible in the clip.
The National Park Service says people should not run from a bear, including during a bluff charge, because running can trigger a predatory response. The Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee says bears can outrun people over short distances and advises backing away slowly when a bear is not engaged, standing your ground during a charge and using bear spray when appropriate.
The committee says bear behavior should determine the response.
