Watch This Brown Bear Follow a Young Boy Down a Mountain in Viral Video
A young boy and his family escaped a brown bear encounter in a shocking new video.
In the viral clip, 12-year-old Alessandro Franzoi calmly walked away from a brown bear as his parents guided him to safety.
While attacks are rare, here’s what to do if you stumble upon a bear in the wild.
Twelve-year-old Alessandro Franzoi and his family were picnicking in northern Italy when an uninvited guest decided to join them: a large brown bear. Alessandro was higher up on the Dolomites mountain range looking for stones when the curious bear approached him. A viral video captured the whole encounter.
In the clip, Alessandro stays incredibly calm as his father guided him down the mountain away from the bear, Today reports. “Don’t turn your back to him. He’s not paying attention to you,” he said while the boy slowly walked down the mountain. “Mama!” the boy cried in fear as he continued to creep away from the bear. “Stay calm,” his dad replied while they backed down the mountain. After a very suspenseful couple of steps, Alessandro finally made it safely to his parents, and the bear ran away. Phew.
The Dolomites are home to a various wildlife, including birds, roe deer, chamois, fire salamander, Alpine newt, and wolves. But there is only one “king” of the Italian Alps: brown bears. In the 1990s, dozens of brown bears were reintroduced into the region from Slovenia.
What to do if you encounter a brown bear
According to the U.S. National Park Service (NPS), brown bears (a.k.a. grizzly bears) can be found in various national parks, primarily in western states, like Yellowstone National Park and Glacier National Park. Stumbling upon any bear can be dangerous, because the wild animals are “unpredictable,” the NPS states.
Although bear attacks are rare, the NPS suggests keeping your distance and being conscious of areas with abundant sources of food like berry bushes. If you believe a brown bear has noticed you, the NPS recommends staying calm and picking up small children immediately. You’ll want to make yourself look as large as possible without making any sudden movements or high-pitched sounds.
Then, move away slowly and sideways if the bear is simply looking at you. This way, you can keep an eye on it and will be viewed as non-threatening to the animal. Avoid running or climbing a tree (bears are fast and can climb).
If you are attacked by a brown bear specifically, the NPS recommends playing dead and leaving your pack on. “Lay flat on your stomach with your hands clasped behind your neck. Spread your legs to make it harder for the bear to turn you over. Remain still until the bear leaves the area,” they suggest. Do not fight back, unless the attack continues. “If the attack persists, fight back vigorously. Use whatever you have at hand to hit the bear in the face.”
And in the instance of a black bear attack? Do not play dead the NPS states. Your best bet is escaping to a safe place, like a car or building. If that isn’t an option, fight back hard using any object to hit the bear in the face or muzzle.
While bear attacks are uncommon, it’s helpful to know what to do if you ever encounter these large creatures in the wild. We can all take notes from Alessandro, who was so incredibly brave and calm.
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