Bear surprises jogger on running trail, takes swipe at her leg in tense video
Bystander distracts bear so runner can flee
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}She "bear-ly" got away from the dangerous situation.
A jogger in Canada running down a trail last weekend was surprised when a bear emerged from the bushes and pawed at her leg.
Another hiker who had been walking up the trail in Coquitlam Crunch in British Columbia, Canada, recorded the alarming encounter on video.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The video shows the black bear approach the shocked woman and probe at her leg once, and then jump back. After a few tense moments, the bear appears to lose interest and the woman is able to run away.
A hiker recorded the alarming encounter on video. (Sam Abdullah via Storyful)
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Sam Abdullah said he started recording with his phone when he saw the bear emerge in front of the jogger on Saturday.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}“We started yelling and coming closer to the bear to distract him,” Abdullah said.
The British Columbia Conservation Service tweeted that it had temporarily closed the trail. Officials urged the public to be vigilant and take safety precautions.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Murray Smith, a local conservation officer, told the CBC that officers were going out to trap the bear. He said this kind of encounter is rare and it was worrying to see a bear touch a person.
“It appears the bear had little or no fear of the runner,” Smith told the CBC. “It wasn’t like the bear was startled by the runner and reached out and contacted them. In this case, the runner stopped and the bear approached the runner and then the bear hit the person’s leg, so it’s very concerning.”
Officials may euthanize the bear if they catch it, according to the report.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}When encountering a black bear, experts say it’s actually not a good idea to run away. The Get Bear Smart Society recommends backing away slowly, keeping eye contact with the bear and identifying yourself by “speaking in a calm, appeasing tone.” In a campsite or other area where bears shouldn’t be, the group advises to stand tall, make noise and yell at the bear to leave.
That advice does not apply to encounters with grizzly bears, according to the society.