Front row seat.
Grizzly bears are one of the most iconic and powerful predators in Yellowstone National Park. Next to the legendary American bison, it’s the reason why people flock to the park… to witness these beasts in action. The park is home to a healthy and stable population of grizzlies, who play a crucial role in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. As of recent estimates, there are around 700-800 grizzly bears in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, and while once threatened under the Endangered Species Act in 1975, they have since made a wonderful recovery. Of course, you still can’t hunt them within the park.
Grizzlies are omnivores with a diet that includes berries, nuts, roots, insects, fish, small mammals, and even large animals like elk. They are opportunistic feeders and will scavenge carcasses when available. In preparation for hibernation, grizzlies enter a hyperphagia phase in late summer and fall, consuming up to 20,000 calories a day. Come fall, the bears will hibernate, beginning in October or November, and they won’t emerge until spring… typically March or April.
Grizzly bears are an absolutely massive animals, giants compared to humans. The average bear comes in around 700-pounds while males can push over 1,500-pounds. This, among many other reasons, is why humans should avoid them at all costs. They can be a bit unpredictable if you’re close to their young or a food source and they get highly defensive in those situations. Their defensive style includes being incredible offensive and using their size. They will charge you, beat, stomp you, and toss you around like ragdoll to neutralize any perceived threat.
The grizzlies in this video are on the younger side, they probably just left their mother not long ago and this is why they are so curious as they try to figure out the world. But people don’t realize these things and think it’s an amazing idea to get as close as possible for a good video.
The two grizzlies are seen on the far side of another car, and they are clearly curious , hoping to take advantage of dumb tourists and get some tasty free food. The grizzly is seen standing up and putting its front paws (with those massive claws) on the car and looking into it. This ain’t his first rodeo, it knows all the goods are on the inside.
The people filming are laughing and going on all happy until it starts towards their vehicle. A woman is heard telling her kids to get in the car.
Smart move…
They scramble their way in and get the car doors shut just as the bear gets to their car.
“You guys, come on get up on my car. Oh my, THERE’S A BEAR ON MY CAR”
As the bear stands up on the hood everyone freaks out. It’s at this moment you realize how big even a young grizzly is and all I can say is ‘no thanks’.
The kids are almost acting like it’s an amusement ride at first, laughing and giggling. That quickly changes as the bear continues to look into the car. They start to squirm a little bit when actually confronted with the size of this beast. Humbled in an instant. The bear gets down eventually after deciding it didn’t need to rip a car up on that day, but there are many more tourists within 50 yards, outside of their cars… stupid people everywhere.
What an experience,
