A woman hiking with her dog in Canada came dangerously close to disaster after a grizzly bear charged toward them in a heart-stopping encounter caught on video.
The wild footage shows the hiker and her dog trying to back away as the massive bear follows them at close range. For several terrifying minutes, the grizzly circles, stalks and charges, coming within just a few feet of the pair.
The woman can be heard yelling loudly in an attempt to scare the animal away. But instead of immediately backing off, the bear rises up on its hind legs, showing just how huge it really is.
The tense video shows the grizzly repeatedly moving toward the woman and her dog as she continues shouting and trying to hold her ground. Somehow, the pair managed to keep the bear from attacking.
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Eventually, the grizzly backed off and left them alone.
A friend of the woman later shared the video on Instagram and used the frightening moment as a warning to other hikers. The caption reminded people to carry bear spray when walking through bear country.
Thankfully, neither the woman nor her dog was hurt.
Still, the encounter was a chilling reminder of just how quickly a peaceful hike can turn dangerous in the wild. One second, you are walking a trail with your dog. The next, you are face to face with hundreds of pounds of muscle, claws and teeth.
The woman’s quick reaction and loud yelling may have helped keep the bear at bay long enough for the encounter to end safely.
It was a very close call — and one this hiker probably will never forget.
