As much as we would like to tell you that this is a scene from a movie, you’d be delighted to know that this is actual footage.
Sighting a bear or a coyote in the wild isn’t something new. But when Mike Kacos’s checked the trail camera, he witnessed something he didn’t expect.
A coyote and a bear are sharing a trail like long-time best buddies.
You may not hear “Bear Necessities” playing in the background, but you can definitely feel the connection between these two animals.
Kacos shared his reaction with The Dodo:
“I was shocked. When I saw them walking together like that, I was shocked.”
The 18-second footage shows a coyote trailing behind the larger bear.
As the bear lumbered through the overgrowth, the coyote walked close behind as if letting the bear lead the way.
At one point in the video, the coyote stopped for a moment. He craned his neck and turned his attention toward the trees like he’s screening the environment they’re traversing.
When it deemed the moment safe, it quickly paced toward the bear.
It didn’t veer away or went in an entirely different direction. It followed the bear like they’re traveling as partners.
According to The Dodo, Kacos wasn’t the only one impressed with this mutually respectful dynamic. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission agreed that the tandem does seem to be at peace and comfortable with one another.
They posted the video on their Facebook page, where it was viewed and shared hundreds of times.
They wrote in the description:
“Well, this bear certainly knows the coyote is there and doesn’t appear to mind! The coyote may be following the bear’s excellent sense of smell to find food. Or, they just happened to be using the same trail at the same time.”
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, grizzly bears and black bears are known to kill coyotes.
But this video shows an entirely different story.
It’s not the first time a coyote paired up with another denizen of the wild. Coyotes are known to be opportunistic predators and would team up with another animal who can give them an edge at hunting prey.
In a video released by the Peninsula Open Space Trust, or POST, a coyote is shown to be leading the way for his badger buddy.
They are both about to pass under a highway at night.
In this video, you can see that the animals are not merely sharing the same trail or just happens to be in the same place at the same time.
The coyote stopped in front of the tunnel and looked in the direction beyond the camera frame.
It seemed to wait for something, and it even jumped as if telling its buddy to walk faster.
A treading badger wobbled into the frame and walked towards the coyote.
The coyote, now knowing that his friend is not so far behind, finally walked into the tunnel with his friend in tow.
We won’t blame you if you put this under your favorite animal videos because we did too.
How the bear and the coyote became friends is anyone’s guess at this point. But these two animals have certainly taught us that we all need a friend as we travel through this big wide world.
Watch how these two buddies travel through the trail like it’s a Disney movie by clicking on the video below.
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