When it comes to nature and being outdoors there is something about it that can bring you peace. The sound of the trees rustling, water rushing and birds chirping can all be soothing for your mind and spirit.
Observing bears in nature
From June to August, the largest gathering of brown bears occurs in Alaska’s McNeil River State game sanctuary. Many people have visited the same spot for years since it can provide consistent views of the bears in their natural habitat.
Access to some of the best sites are limited but only a handful of visitors are chosen to come and take photographs of the bear congregation. A photographer by the name of Drew Hamilton had a unique experience one day he decided to photograph the spectacle.
An experience like no other
Drew, who is a tech worker at the Alaska department of fish and game, filmed a video showing a huge brown bear slowly approach his vantage point. What comes next is sure to surprise even the most veteran of nature enthusiasts.
A brown bear gets very close
As the large brown bear approached Drew he maintained composer and simply filmed the encounter without raising any suspicions. The bear seemed to feel like it was at home as he confidently observed his surroundings.
He clearly was enjoying the view as much as in true and figured he might as well give the experience photographer some company.
After some time the bear that’s out a yawn showing that he’s getting a bit bored of the scenario. And what do you think the bear does next? He takes a seat next to Drew of course! Now, this was completely unexpected. Drew remained calm and composed as he still kept rolling the footage of the docile bear sitting beside him.
It’s important to know a bit about grizzly bear behavior when out in nature. First off, know what kind of grizzly bear you may be encountering.
A grizzly bear typically is always in search of food in order to fatten itself for hibernation, so it’s probably best to always keep a safe distance no matter what.
You might want to carry bear spray just in case you run into a grizzly bear who decides to be persistent and over-step their boundaries. Most of the deathly encounters with bears occur because of lack of resources or inadequate assessments of the situation that can lead to escalating the threat.
Also, beware of a mother and her cubs. The old adage “Don’t get between a mother and her cubs” always stands true. The main thing is to always respect the animal and space around it.
As long as the bear does not feel threatened and you are within a safe distance, then most bear fatalities and near-death experiences can be avoided. Lucky for Drew, this brown bear took a moment to take in nature’s grandeur and soon stood up and began to walk away.
Finally, as the bear began to make its way out of the campsite, he made sure to get a bit of a close up to show Drew his curiosity. Drew was having none of it as he began to coax the bear with shouts to get away from his equipment.
This was truly one of the most humbling moments of Drew’s career. The awe-inspiring feeling of being next to such a menacing, yet adorable creature is something that is hardly ever seen.
Make sure to catch every second of the thrilling encounter in the video down below.
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