Tourist Has Rare Up-Close Encounter With Grizzly Bear and Cubs in Grand Tetons
When people visit Grand Teton National Park in northwestern Wyoming, they hope to see a variety of wildlife. On top of everybody's list is usually the apex predator of them all, the grizzly bear. Jessica Anne visited the park recently and leaving the area at 5 AM when she saw the last thing she expected to see - a grizzly bear and her cub!
Jessica shared the video on Saturday, July 27th and it's such a fun watch. The grizzly and her baby are foraging for food and eating the tall grass surrounding them. The mama bear glances in Jessica's direction where she's recording from her car but doesn't seem to be bothered by the people. Mom finally decides it's time to cross the road and heads in that direction when Jessica gets another surprise...there's a second cub!
What an amazing experience, especially since they were on their way out of the park! Jessica said in her caption she'll never get over it, and I can understand why. I love how the mama bear stopped to make sure the motorhome was going to stop before continuing on with her little ones. Commenter @HiveHaven agreed, "This is what you call a true “mama bear” - she stopped traffic before her babies could cross!" Another commenter shared, "The Tetons and Yellowstone are such special places!" They're both on my bucket list! And if you're hoping to see this when you visit, take @ThunderPC's advice, "Anytime we go, we leave our room no later than 5am every day specifically for this reason. Bear and moose activity is insane at that time of morning."
Related: Video of Bond Between Grizzly Bear and Her Cub at 'Yellowstone' Is Just Beautiful
Why You Should Never Try To Approach a Grizzly with Cubs
It should go without saying that if you're looking for wildlife and find it, you should stay very far away from the animals. Mama bears can be very cuddly when it comes to their babies, but they're also fiercely protective. They'll do anything to keep their babies safe and can immediately become aggressive anytime they feel threatened or think that their cubs are in harm's way. This mama bear didn't seem to mind people stopping to watch them, but had they gotten out of the car, it might have been a different story.
A mama bear's number one priority is to always keep their cubs safe and fed. She also teaches them how to hunt, where to find food, and how to protect themselves as they grow older. If you ever see cubs playing or walking alone, they are not alone; mom is close by, and she will not stand for anybody getting near her babies.
If you find yourself too close for comfort with a bear of any kind, do not run! You're pretty much out of luck if they decide that you're a threat since they can run up to 35 miles per hour. Grizzlies will stand up to appear taller when they feel threatened, so stand your ground and try to make yourself look bigger by flailing your arms. Scream and be loud. The majority of the time these bears want nothing to do with humans and just want to be left alone. But they'll attack without a second thought if they think their cubs are in danger, so it's best to just steer clear of them.
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