Busy Road Comes To A Dead Stop — Wholly To Let Mama Grizzly And Her Cubs Cross

Sep 17, 2020 by apost team

On June 2, tourists at Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming got to witness a mama grizzly who suddenly appeared by the side of the road with four young bear cubs following her lead.

Wildlife might be uncommon in your hometown, but birds and animals are a normal part of the ecosystem outside of the city sprawl. Most forested areas will produce the occasional deer, foxes, or raccoons who might wander onto the road or in front of your camera.

However, some animals are so rare that you never expect to see them walking out of the trees. When they do show their faces, it's a time for wonder and celebration from anyone lucky enough to see. 

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On the day this video was recorded, the tourists at Grand Teton National Park were simply enjoying the lovely weather and view, reports We Love Animals. Bears are a well-known resident of the park, and they're even mentioned on the park's website.

"Black bears and grizzly bears thrive in Grand Teton National Park and the John D. Rockefeller Jr. Memorial Parkway. You may encounter a bear anywhere at any time. Some of the most popular trails pass through excellent bear habitat. Bears will usually move out of the way if they hear you approaching."

So it wasn't exactly a surprise when these bears walked out of the woods, but that doesn't make the event any less special. It's rare for these normally shy animals to come into contact with the many tourists who visit the park.

The video footage shows a mother bear and her cubs walking down a hill and towards the road. Seeing this, the tourists stop their cars and pull out their cameras. But instead of shying away, the mama bear actually approaches and tries to cross the road.

This mother bear knows how to handle paparazzi. Acting as if the tourists aren't even there, she carefully guides her little cubs across the asphalt. Her goal is to get her cubs to a safe place, and she doesn't have time to look over at her awe-struck audience.

Luckily, the onlookers are respectful, and the family of bears is allowed to complete their crossing in peace. The cubs stick right by their mother's side; it looks like this is the first time they've ever had to cross a road.

As the bears retreat into the forest, the tourists are left to marvel at the event that just happened. Maybe the mother bear wanted to show off her incredibly well-behaved children. Either way, it's a once-in-a-lifetime event that we're all glad they didn't miss.

Bears are amazing and adorable, but they're still wild animals who deserve your respect. Grand Teton National Park has a few tips for if you ever happen to encounter a bear:

• Stay 300 feet away at all times, whether or not you are in a car. Binoculars are a good way to view from a distance.
• Only pull over to view a bear if you're in a designated area at a National Park. Remember that it's illegal to approach a wild animal directly.
• Make sure there are no food or food containers in an exterior part of your vehicle, like the bed of a pickup truck.
• Always listen to the directions of National Park Service staff and other wildlife professionals.

This mama bear has a family that's definitely worth showing off. This entire recorded experience shows how interactive wildlife can be when tourists are patient and maintain a respectful distance. Have you ever seen a bear in person before? Tell us your story. If you haven't seen a bear, tell others about this story so that someone else can see one, too.