For most people, bear encounters
don't look anything like that.
More like this.
And this is exactly the type of behavior
that might get you killed.
But don't worry,
because we're here to tell you
If you go for a hike in the forest,
bears shouldn't be your biggest concern.
They don't normally attack people
for no apparent reason.
Not unless they're starving,
or you get too close to one of their cubs.
But if you do meet a bear
who's mad at you about the intrusion,
what should you do?
Luckily for you, we've got four steps
to help you get out of a bear's claws alive.
The first thing you should know about bears
is that they aren't all the same.
Before choosing your survival strategy,
you have to figure out
what kind of bear you've encountered.
To make things even more fun,
let's take the biggest, male bears,
and enter them into a boxing match
with you.
Our number one bear
is the brown bear, or grizzly.
He has brown medium to dark fur,
round ears, a hump above the shoulder,
and long claws.
His body length reaches 2 m (6.5 ft).
Moving on to number two,
the black bear.
His distinguished features are
a straight facial profile,
tall ears, and short claws.
No hump above the shoulder.
And the body length of 1.5 m (5 ft)
makes him smaller
than your other opponent.
Finally, the polar bear.
Thick, white fur, short tail,
and massive paws.
His body stretches
up to a whopping 3.3 m (11 ft).
Not all bears are going
to attack you on sight.
For example, black bears aren't
as aggressive as grizzlies,
unless they feel threatened.
But if you find yourself alone in the Arctic,
and a polar bear is charging at you,
today is not your lucky day.
To a polar bear, you're prey at first sight.
If you like to walk around the forest
with a firearm in your hands,
I have news for you.
There are things
more effective against a bear.
Bear spray works on all bears.
You should keep it in your front pocket
any time you go into bear territory.
Because if, say, a brown bear attacks you,
you only have a few seconds to fire.
So pull yourself together,
steady your arms,
and aim for the bear's nose, eyes and mouth.
Wait until he is 10 m (30 ft) away,
and then spray for about 2 seconds.
Then retreat as fast as possible.
But what if you don't have bear spray?
What should you do then?
If you end up on a date with a black bear,
you might be relatively safe.
But don't ruin the moment
by climbing up a tree.
Black bears are much better climbers
than you are.
And don't try to play dead.
Black bears don't fall for that.
Instead, hit the bear with a stick,
throw stones at him,
show him who's boss.
With grizzlies, it's different.
You don't want to run from a brown bear.
He'll catch you and eat you
before you know it.
Your best bet is to fall in the fetal position,
and protect your head, neck, and stomach.
That's what I call playing dead.
If a grizzly doesn't feel threatened,
he'll leave.
But don't rush to get up.
Stay down for at least
20 minutes after an attack,
in case the bear really
didn't buy your acting.
Polar bears aren't going to be fooled
by your intimidation act.
And fighting a one-ton polar bear
isn't a great idea either.
Once again, bear spray is your best bet.
But if you do end up fighting a polar bear,
attack as if your life depends on it.
Because it does.
Try to aim for the nose or eyes.
And watch out for those deadly paws.
Ultimately, the best way to survive
is to avoid an encounter in the first place.
Fortunately for you, most bears will retreat
before you even know they're there.
A forest can be a dangerous place,
even when bears aren't involved.
Everything looks the same
and, wait, did I pass this tree already?
Am I lost?
Alone?
In the forest?
While your phone still has some power,
you better watch another video
to help you survive whatever awaits you.