Evidently, bear cubs just need to blow off a little steam every once in a while.
It’s estimated that around 400,000 bears live in the United States, and in certain parts of the country, residents have to always be on alert and keep an eye out for bears. Black bears make up most of that total number (around 300,000), and one place where you are almost guaranteed to see them is in Gatlinburg, Tennessee.
Millions of people flock to Smoky Mountain National Park every year to take in the beautiful scenery and witness the incredible wildlife (and pancake eating and moonshine tastings) that Gatlinburg has to offer. In fact, the National Park of the Great Smoky Mountains in the most visited national park in the country.
Katelyn Neil and her family were staying in a cabin earlier this month when they got the surprise of a lifetime. They ended up having front row seats to the antics of a couple of bear cubs when the two little ones decided to have a boxing match right on their back porch. The mama bear and another cub (behaving itself, has to be mom’s favorite child) were close by and keeping a look out while the pair duked it out.
One of the most dangerous places you can be in the world is in between a mother bear and her cubs. Most violent bear attacks happen when humans accidentally (or idiotically) get too close to a mama bear, which will stop at nothing to keep her cubs safe.
Fortunately for Katelyn Neil, she was safely inside her Gatlinburg cabin, and was able to capture this amazing footage of two cubs bear-knuckle fighting (sorry, I had to get that pun in there):
“When you hear little feet pattering on your cabin porch and look out the window. Best start to our getaway.”
@itskatiematey_ When you hear little feet pattering on your cabin porch and look out the window. Best start to our getaway. 🖤 #smokymountains #babybear #gatlinburg #pigeonforge ♬ Stealthy mischief(1088178) – KBYS
Nothing like a “let’s get ready to rumble” breaking out right outside your cabin window.
And that’s a very common practice for bear cubs, in case you were wondering. It’s not like those are the first two bear cubs to ever stand up on their hind legs and swing at one another. There have been many before them that will wrestle, and there will be many after them that do too.
As to why bear cubs rough house, there’s a variety of reasons that likely contribute. In one way, it acts as practice for when they need to fight in their adult lives. But at the basis of things, it provides much needed brain stimulation as they grow, and allows for the cubs to burn off excess energy.
Anyone with kids out there knows that’s an invaluable item on the checklist…
