Rocky Mountain tourist learns the hard way not to get between a mother bear and her cubs

Cat Ellis
·2 min read
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Black bear and cub eating grass.
Credit: Getty Images

A man visiting Rocky Mountain National Park has given a perfect demonstration of how not to behave around bears – particularly when cubs are involved. The tourist spotted a female and her three offspring on a road near a parking lot, and rather than back away and give them space, he decided to hold his hand out to the young animals, beckoning them forward.

The incident was caught on camera by another park visitor, who shared the resulting video via Instagram account TouronsOfNationalParks – a page that calls out bad behavior at sites of natural beauty around the world, often involving wildlife.

Predictably, the sow went on the defensive and made a bluff charge at the man, giving him a fright and forcing him back so her cubs could cross the road safely. He was lucky; like all wild animals, bears are very protective of their young, and are likely to attack any perceived threat.

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You'll only spot black bears in the Rocky Mountains – as the National Park Service (NPS) explains, grizzlies are no longer found in Colorado – though they can vary in color from black to light brown, which can cause confusion.

If you come across a bear at close range while hiking in the Rockies, the NPS advises you to stop, stay calm, and pick up any small children. Stand tall and back away slowly, making lots of noise by shouting and clapping your hands. Don't be tempted to run, as this can trigger the animal's instinct to chase. If a black bear attacks, you should fight back rather than playing dead (black bears will eat carrion).

Respect the bears

Deliberately approaching, distracting, or feeding wild animals in US National Parks is illegal, and those found guilty can expect a fine, or even jail time.

In 2021, a young woman was fined over $2,000 and sentenced to four days in jail after approaching a grizzly bear sow and her cubs to take photos at Yellowstone National Park. As ABC News reported at the time, 15-year-old Samantha Dehring from Illinois, was also given a year of unsupervised probation.

"Approaching a sow grizzly with cubs is absolutely foolish," said , acting US attorney Bob Murray on behalf of the District of Wyoming in a statement after the sentencing. "Here, pure luck is why Dehring is a criminal defendant and not a mauled tourist."