This grizzly bear in Yellowstone National Park learned that if it seems too good to be true, it probably is.
Of all the animals you could choose to pick a fight with (I’m talking from the perspective of other wild animals), the grizzly bear is probably on the short list of worst predators to match up against. If you didn’t know, grizzlies are known to be some of the fiercest animals on the planet.
This big ol’, full-bodied grizzly bear got the scent of a bison carcass, and decided to investigate further. Unknowingly, the bear was falling right into the trap that a clever, stealthy Yellowstone wolf pack had laid out. Sure, they could get pretty full themselves snacking on the bison’s remains…
But they knew they could catch an ever bigger fish, so to speak, by letting the dead bison act as a lure.
As dusk began to fall on Yellowstone National Park, the male grizzly bear wandered down a hill in hopes of getting a free dinner. He was clearly excited to get down to the fallen bison, but also made sure to approach cautiously in case there were other predators in the area.
Just as the grizzly reached the carcass and began to chew on the remains, a pack of eleven gray wolves came out of the woodwork and descended down onto the bear. At first, the grizzly thought he was getting an easy meal. Now, the wolves were thinking the same… but had bear as the entree of choice on their menu.
The grizzly quickly realized that it was outnumbered. Could it have used its razor-sharp claws – and strength – to fight back? Sure, but if you look closely, you’ll notice that the grizzly boar is already missing an ear. Clearly it’s been in a couple of fights in its lifetime, and through experience, knows where to pick and choose.
Without much hesitation or thinking it over, the grizzly bear retreated as the wolves claimed the bison, and the territory in which it laid. Though it definitely seemed as though they were trying to draw in another animal, the wolf pack also decided that they’d pass on fighting the big bear.
It’s a situation where the wolves likely knew they could have won the battle, but may have ended up losing the war (suffering a casualty or two) if they initiated conflict with the grizzly. As the caption for the post so eloquently put it:
“Some days, survival means knowing when to be the bigger beast. Even when you’re the biggest animal in the fight.”
