Nature is often unforgiving.
Many people enjoy watching nature documentaries such as Planet Earth and Our Planet, but the brutality of nature can be difficult to witness. While incidents of tourists being charged by bison at Yellowstone have been on the rise, a recent encounter in the park showcased a face-off between a grizzly bear and a bison, offering a shockingly close view for onlookers.
If this type of interaction makes you uncomfortable, it may be best to look away…
A video captured at Yellowstone National Park by Michael Daus of Wyoming depicts the intense confrontation between a grizzly bear and a bison, resulting in an unfortunate outcome for one of the animals. The person recording the footage had this to say about the encounter:
“We were aware that the bear was in the vicinity as we had spotted it near the road, less than a mile from the car park for the grand Prismatic Overlook hike. Despite the steady stream of hikers, we had bear spray on hand and remained vigilant for the bear throughout our visit. We were not eager to encounter the bear again, especially in such close proximity, just on the other side of the small parking area. We didn’t even notice it until we reached our vehicle.
I was particularly relieved that the bear seemed more interested in the bison, so despite the close proximity to our car, we maintained what we felt was a safe distance. Given our many years of living nearby, we certainly do not want our behavior or apparent closeness to the animals to set a poor example of interacting with wildlife.”
The footage may be distressing for some viewers:
Grizzly Bear Protects its Kill from a Wolf
The tension mounts in this 3.5-minute video depicting a face-off between a grizzly bear and a grey wolf at Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming on September 23. The grizzly bear has captured an elk and is seen defending its kill against the wolf. The person who recorded the video shared the following account:
“Grizzly bear 791 from Yellowstone Park was protecting its elk kill from an intruding grey wolf. 791 had recently taken down the elk in the Yellowstone River and had buried it at the river’s edge to conceal the scent of the decaying carcass.
After a few days, the wolves began to detect the scent. Since the wolf in this instance was alone, it posed little threat to the massive grizzly. It seemed more like a game to see how close the dominant bear would allow the wolf to approach its kill.
To my surprise, as evidenced by the video, the bear allowed the wolf to come very close. The wolf would cautiously move forward, prompting a slight shift in position from the bear, causing the wolf to retreat for a while.
This repetitive interaction occurred four times during my observation.”
The tension is palpable, and it is clear that the wolf does not wish to challenge the formidable bear.
