The startling footage comes from the same day (last Friday) that a grizzly bear mauled a solo hiker near Yellowstone’s Mammoth Hot Springs.
Yellowstone National Park is bear country. In spring, boars and sows come out of hibernation and are on the hunt for food and mates – both of which can make them overly aggressive.
Such seems to be the case in the latest bit of grizzly bear footage to come from Yellowstone. Within, an enormous grizzly boar charges at a park ranger full force. Before an attack can take place, the ranger takes cover behind his truck and loads his rifle with projectiles (presumably rubber bullets or other deterrents).
The hazing works, and the grizzly then hastily retreats into the forest.
The ranger was present attempting to control traffic and get foolish tourists back into their vehicles to safety. Apparently, this particular bear had been stalking visitors and displaying aggressive behavior for much of Friday.
That same day, a solo hiker was mauled near Mammoth Hot Springs in the national park, and the incidents may be related.
USA Today reached out to Yellowstone Park Headquarters for comment, but has yet to receive a response.
Grizzly Bear Aggression Continues in Yellowstone National Park
Their outdoors site, For The Win, however, was able to secure more information. Deby Dixon, a wildlife photographer who specializes in Yellowstone’s species, tells the trade that this footage is from Friday evening. And this particular encounter took place south of Roaring Mountain – north of the Norris Geyser Basin.
“This is why visitors should maintain their distance from the bears. This guy meant business!” Dixon says via her popular Facebook page, Deby’s Wild World. There, she captions the alarming footage with further details:
“This boar had been following a girl around all day, in Yellowstone… And was reported to have charged about 6 cars throughout the day when people blocked the bear’s path,” Dixon adds. “Apparently, the sow would cross the road and then people would pull their car up in front of the boar to get photos, blocking him from reuniting with his girlfriend. As you can see, getting between a grizzly and what he wants can be bad news.”
Bad news, indeed. Especially when tourists continue to approach grizzly bears in Yellowstone – despite fatalities and attacks taking place every year. In light of this, the park is currently searching for a woman for approaching a separate grizzly bear in order to press charges in an attempt to deter tourists from continually putting their lives in danger.
“Even after this boar charged the ranger, several visitors and photographers were standing along the road, watching the sow leave, despite not knowing where the boar had gone,” Dixon concludes.
The photographer says her information comes via a Yellowstone bear manager. Watch the harrowing incident for yourself above. And please, stay inside your vehicles at all times when a grizzly bear, bison, elk, or wolf is close at hand.
