Nick Dale submitted this video to Latest Sightings. Unfortunately, we don’t know where he filmed it, except that it would have been in the Arctic Circle where polar bears live.
Stare-down with the world’s largest land carnivore
As the video begins, the opening sequence appears to depict men in a perilous situation. Two men and a polar bear engage in a tense standoff.
As it happens, between the men and the bear, there is a barrier that offers a measure of protection. On closer inspection, we see that there is a fence with several strands, presumably electrified.
Nevertheless, should the bear decide to attack, one wonders how effective the deterrent would be.
With adult males weighing 300–800 kg (660–1,760 lb), polar bears are the world’s largest land carnivore.
Their massive size dwarfs that of tigers, which weigh 100-261 kg (200-575 lb), and lions, which weigh 150 to 250 kilograms (330 to 550 lb).
Uncertain behaviour
By its body posture, it seems that this bear is somewhat uncertain. Assuming the strands are electrified, the bear likely received a shock earlier. Possibly explaining its curious yet passive behaviour.
Alternatively, it might be the first time it has encountered humans.
Polar bears have attacked and killed humans on rare occasions. Between 1870 and 2014, 73 attacks resulted in 20 fatalities.
This relatively low number may be attributed to the fact that very few people live in the areas where polar bears are found.
Interestingly, in most cases, the reason for the attacks was ‘nutritional stress’, meaning they could not find enough of their natural food to sustain them.
Loud pop
In the second video sequence, it appears that the bear has overcome its initial uncertainty and decided to move closer.
Subsequently, we see that one of the men removes something from his pocket. We can just make out the object in his right hand in the image below.
Additionally, we hear what sounds like a whistle being blown, presumably to deter the bear from coming closer.
Moments later, we hear a loud pop, and the snow next to the man puffs up, presumably as the bullet goes into the ground next to the man.
Consequently, we conclude that he had a pistol (or other noise-making device), and had discharged it to warn off the increasingly bold bear.
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Instant response
Afterwards, as a result of the loud noise, the bear immediately backs off. It would appear that this bear is not that hungry that it would ignore the loud, threatening noise coming from these unusual two-legged creatures.
Peace returns
Meanwhile, the men stand their ground. It is common practice when faced with predators not to run, as doing so triggers their predatory instinct to chase.
Thankfully, once the initial fright wears off, the bear slows to a walk. However, it has decided that it doesn’t want to be around these noisy creatures and keeps moving away.
Subsequently, as the bear departs, the tense encounter is now over, and they can return to taking photos of the bear and the amazing Arctic landscape.
