Where does getting chased and mauled by a bear fall on the “Worst Ways to Meet Your Maker” list? Pretty close to the top, right?
Animals have to keep their heads on a swivel out in the wild, and though bringing new life into the world is a good thing, and an important part of nature, it can sometimes lead to some pretty difficult circumstances.
Take this video for example. A mother bison and her offspring are running for their lives as a menacing grizzly bear follows closely behind. Younger animals are often seen as easy prey for predators, and this apex predator decided to hone in on the bison calf.
Bison are the largest land animals in North America, standing as tall as six feet and weighing up to 2,000 pounds. You would think that their sheer size alone would scare off some predators, but the bison’s largeness actually cuts down on its agility, and other hungry animals tend to figure that out.
Grizzly bears and bison have similar top speeds, usually topping out around 35 miles per hour. However, the grizzlies have more endurance, and are also able to make sharp turns and movements more easily.
A grizzly bear definitely has the advantage when it is taking on a bison calf, even with a mother bison doing her best to protect it. And though we have seen younger bison hold their own against predators, this one in the video below never stood a chance.
The footage opens up with the mother bison and her calf running for their lives, with the mother doing her best to keep her offspring out in front. It is only when the bison calf starts to run off course that the grizzly bear begins to impose its power and hunting skills and singling out the young animal.
Once the grizzly bear closes in on the calf, it’s all but over for the young animal. The mother does her best to run through and break things up, but quickly realizes that it’s too late for her offspring, so she turns around and runs away.
The bruin is then able to settle in and eat a “fresh” meal after successfully bringing down the calf. It’s a tough video to watch, though it does paint a pretty vivid picture of how cutthroat the circle of life can be.
Take a look:
