Video: Wolf sizes up bear in B.C. grasslands

They often say don害羞草研究所檛 poke the bear, but clearly this wolf never got the message.

Frank Ritcey, provincial coordinator of WildSafeBC, has seen and captured a lot of wildlife on film over the years, but he has never seen something like this.

害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檝e been filming for a long time, spent a lot of time out in the wild, but I害羞草研究所檝e never got to see something like this. This clear,害羞草研究所� says Ritcey. 害羞草研究所淵ou go out enough times, you get lucky.害羞草研究所�

Last week he was hiking in the grasslands near Kamloops with his wife when she noticed a wolf in the field.

He decided to sneak a bit closer to catch the wolf on film when he realized his video was going to be a lot more interesting than he first thought when a smaller black bear walked into frame.

害羞草研究所淵ou are very luck to ever even see a wolf, especially up here, they are very secretive animals that don害羞草研究所檛 like to be around humans,害羞草研究所� says Ritcey.

害羞草研究所淪o just seeing a wolf was pretty good, but then to see a wolf and a bear together was pretty special.害羞草研究所�

Ritcey says the interaction between the bear and wolf was interesting to watch. He says wolves have been known to take on a bear as a pack, but don害羞草研究所檛 often attempt it one on one.

害羞草研究所淎 friend of mine who works with National Parks says they have had a number of reports of single wolves trying to attack bears. They害羞草研究所檙e never successful, but they do do it,害羞草研究所� explains Ritcey.

害羞草研究所淎nimals in the wild are very cautious, the wolf isn害羞草研究所檛 going to get itself into a battle if it thinks it is going to lose. It is going to check out things.害羞草研究所�

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For those who believe the wolf didn害羞草研究所檛 stand a chance against the bear, Ritcey says you shouldn害羞草研究所檛 count it out.

害羞草研究所淲e tend to think of the bear as the apex predator, but a wolf is a very formidable opponent. Wolves, as a pack, will even drag grizzly bears off of kills. They are very agile,害羞草研究所� says Ritcey. 害羞草研究所淎ny of us would have been pretty petrified if a bear ran at us, but the wolf knows what its capabilities are. It came, got in closer and closer until the bear swung at, it was testing the bear.害羞草研究所�

The wolf is seen in the video above running away to ensure it stays out of reach of the bear before it goes back to check out one more time before deciding it isn害羞草研究所檛 worth the fight and disappearing into the woods.

害羞草研究所淚 think the wolf made the decision the odds weren害羞草研究所檛 good. If the rest of the pack were nearby, it may have turned out differently,害羞草研究所� adds Ritcey.

He knew this video was a special one and needed to be shared so he published on the on Sunday.

He says this time of year is a good one for the public to view bears at a safe distance.

害羞草研究所淲hen bears first emerge they primarily eat the fresh green grass,害羞草研究所� says Ritcey.

害羞草研究所淭hey are grazers, about 80 per cent of their diet is plant-based. So, anywhere you start to see fresh greenery is where you can see bears. Especially closer to evening and early in the morning.害羞草研究所�

WildSafeBC is a program owned and operated by the BC Conservation Foundation, is designed to help reduce human-wildlife conflict throughout the province.

害羞草研究所淭he clip has generated a lot of interest, and it helps us get out our message about keeping wildlife wild and communities safe,害羞草研究所� adds Ritcey.

害羞草研究所淪eeing wildlife behaving in a natural way out in the wilds is great, seeing bears in an urban setting is definitely not so great. Bears in an urban environment create safety concerns for both humans and bears so we try to help communities manage their attractants in a way that keeps bears from being drawn into town in the first place.害羞草研究所�

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