ALBERTA, CANADA, June 27 (Billings News Online) — Hikers in Alberta’s Kananaskis Country are getting a fresh bear-safety warning after a viral video showed a woman backing away slowly while a grizzly bear followed and charged her on the Rummel Lake Trail.
Alberta Forestry and Parks placed the encounter near Mount Engadine Lodge in Spray Lakes Provincial Park, and the footage shows the woman walking with her dog as the bear circles and comes toward her. The clip spread on social media this week.
Travelers heading into grizzly country are urged not to run. The U.S. National Park Service says running from a surprised bear can trigger a predatory reaction, while the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee says bears can outrun people over short distances.
The National Park Service and the grizzly committee both say a person’s response should depend on the bear’s behavior. Guidance calls for backing away slowly when a bear is not engaged, standing ground during a bluff charge and using bear spray when appropriate.
