No one wants to encounter unwanted intruders in their home, especially four-legged ones.
According to video service Storyful, a man in Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada, was frightened when he spotted a black bear in his garage while charging his electric car.
The video captured the moment the bear made eye contact with the man, just before the bear ran straight towards Alex Gold.
Gold remained calm, neither flinching nor screaming. The video shows Gold yelling “no” repeatedly and clapping his hands as he backs away from the bear.
Observing a close encounter between a man and a black bear
To escape from the bear, Gold opens his car, gets in, and closes the door.
As the bear wanders around looking for the gold car, a cub appears in the frame of the video.
Mr. Gold honked his horn several times to scare the two bears away.
“I’ve encountered bears before, but never this close,” Gold wrote in an Instagram post, as reported by Storyful. “An unforgettable experience!”
Video: Bear signs personal scratching post in Denali National Park
Are Asian black bears dangerous?
Dr. Lynn Rogers, a biologist who studies black bears in the wild, has deepened our understanding of this often misunderstood animal.
Rogers, who has studied bears in the wild for more than 50 years, argues that bears are similar to humans in some ways, such as territoriality. Rogers said bear attacks primarily occur when the animal is scared.
“Most attacks by black bears are defensive reactions to people getting too close, situations that are easy to avoid,” Rogers wrote in a North American Bear Center blog post. “Injuries from these defensive reactions are usually minor.”
What should I do if I meet a black bear?
Although bear attacks are rare, the National Park Service (NPS) warns anyone to keep their distance if they encounter these giant animals.
According to the NPS, here’s what you should do if you’re attacked by a bear.
Brown Bear/Grizzly Bear: If you are attacked by a brown or grizzly bear, play dead. Lie still on the ground until the bear leaves the area. Do not fight back unless the bear continues to attack. Don’t forget to attack the bear’s face to get the upper hand. Black Bear: If you are attacked by a black bear, don’t play dead. Run to a nearby building or vehicle where you can safely lock it. If you have nowhere to hide to avoid attacks, fight back. Use all your strength to punch or kick the bear in the face and muzzle.
NPS also recommends that people who frequent the woods always bring bear spray.
Ahjane Forbes is a reporter on USA TODAY’s National Trends team. Arjane covers breaking news, auto recalls, crime, health, lottery, and public policy topics. Email aforbes@gannett.com. Follow her on Instagram, Threads, and more. X (Twitter) @forbesfinest.