What started off as an average hiking day ended up being quite an ordeal for 74-year-old Jeffrey Glassner, as he was followed on the trail by two grizzly bear cubs, as well as their mother.
Glassner was walking away from his campsite in Katmai National Park in Alaska, and as soon as he started walking, he was almost stopped in his tracks when he realized the family of bears was trailing him.
Most of us would have run away in fear, but Glassner was able to keep his cool and instead started filming them. You can feel his nervousness by the way the camera is shaking, but he knew that he had to stay calm, as there could be life-threatening consequences if he scared the bears.
He was hoping that the family of grizzlies would go off the trail, however they did not echo his sentiment. The curious cubs were after him, and their mother was keeping an eye out for them.
Glassner told Inside Edition that “The cubs were out in front of mom and I was interested in them. My biggest fear was that they would get close to me and mama bear thought I was a threat and would attack me.”
Luckily for Glassner, the bears went off the trail and left him alone once they were near a river.
“Most times they will turn around and walk away, but there is always a possibility they will charge you,” he said.
If you are ever hiking in a location that is known to be a bear habitat, then it’s important that you familiarize yourself on what to do if a bear attacks. Experts recommend that you should carry bear spray that has a spraying capability for a minimum of 7 seconds at a distance of at least 30 feet. You can use the bear pepper spray to stop a charging, aggressive, or attacking bear.
The National Park Service advises that you should identify yourself by talking slowly and calmly. Don’t make any sudden movements or scream, as that could scare the bear and provoke an attack. Slowly wave your arms and stand your ground, which should help the bear understand that you’re human and not a predator.
If the bear is not in motion, start slowly moving away sideways, so that the bear is still in your line of sight. If the bear starts following you, don’t start running, as bears are fast animals, even uphill. And if you’re ever in the same situation as Glassner, don’t get between the mother grizzly and her cubs, as she will attack if she thinks you’re a threat to them.