A group of tourists helped a lone kayaker when a bear was swimming toward them at full speed. In the picturesque setting with towering mountains and a rushing river, a grizzly bear is quickly making his way into the water.
The group of adventurers on a raft notice the apex predator is headed straight toward a kayaker up ahead. Moving water, like that of a river, can be incredibly loud. In fact, it drowns out most other noise.
Had the bear aimed for the person paddling, they likely wouldn’t have known until the last minute. Thankfully, bears don’t do this. In the footage we’ve included below, the animal is simply trying to make it to the other side of the river.
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You can hear the group of people in the raft yelling to get the attention of the kayaker. Just in case that doesn’t help, someone blows a whistle that can be heard over the rushing water. The kayaker is left unharmed and the bear makes it to the other side of the river.
Can Grizzly Bears Swim?
Grizzly bears near the water’s edge at Katmai National Park, Alaska, USA.
©Manamana/Shutterstock.com
Grizzly bears can swim very well. They have the ability to navigate water and use their feet as an oar to push themselves. Long journeys in the water are not their strength, either, as they can easily become exhausted.
Grizzlies invest a lot of their time in the water because they can utilize it to cool down as well as look for food. They have been perfectly adapted to live without difficulty in the water.
Grizzly bears often traverse water when looking for food.
One of their main sources of nourishment is fresh salmon.
Do Bears Attack Humans?
Generally speaking, bears attacking humans is extremely rare. Even more uncommon is a grizzly bear attacking someone in the water. If the chase begins on land and a person escapes into a body of water, some bears may continue the pursuit.
Humans are not fast enough to outswim a bear. Michael Phelps would have a hard time beating Yogi in a race. In fact, when a bear is in the water looking for food, they want no interaction with humans at all.
Staying Safe Around Bears
Bear attacks are uncommon; usually, bears are solely concerned with defending their territory, food, or pups. The best response, nevertheless, can be had if you are mentally prepared to react.
Keep your gear on and play dead if one of these massive animals comes near you. Keep your hands beneath your neck while lying flat on your stomach. To make it more difficult for the bear to flip you around, extend your legs wide.
Until the bear moves on, keep still. The majority of the time, responding in kind makes such attacks worse. But if the assault continues, strike back vehemently. Strike the grizzly in the face with anything that is available to you.
Although we hope this never happens, it’s better to be safe than sorry.