ALBERTA, CANADA, June 27 (Billings News Online) — A viral video showing a woman and her dog being followed and repeatedly charged by a grizzly bear on an Alberta trail is drawing renewed attention to basic bear-safety rules for travelers heading into grizzly country.
Alberta Forestry and Parks identified the area as near Mount Engadine Lodge on Rummel Lake Trail in Spray Lakes Provincial Park, in Kananaskis Country. The footage shows the woman backing away slowly while speaking to the bear, rather than running.
That response matches guidance from the U.S. National Park Service and the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee, which both say people should not run from a bear. The agencies say running can trigger a chase response, and the grizzly committee says bears can outrun humans over short distances.
The park service says what to do next depends on the bear’s behavior. It advises people to back away slowly from a bear that is not engaged, stand their ground during a bluff charge, and use bear spray when appropriate.
The video spread online after it was shared on Instagram, and the footage does not show any injuries.
