29-04-2025
Man's Desperate Attempt to Outrun Charging Polar Bear Caught in Harrowing Video
There are some things that you just have to see to believe, and this video of a man trying to outrun a polar bear is one of them. ABC News shared the video at the end of April of a man in the Arctic town of Pyramiden on the Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard trying to get away from an angry polar bear, and it's wild!
Holding a rifle, the man came face to face with the polar bear. Onlookers were recording from inside a home and watched as the polar bear charged the man. The terrified man ran towards his snowmobile, dropping the gun before speeding away.
The polar bear continued to chase the man for a few seconds before realizing it wasn't worth it. The recording stops soon after, so we don't get to see what the bear did next, but what a chase!
Viewers of ABC News' video had mixed reactions to the man's decision to toss the gun. @Choochmahoggin wondered, "What's the point of having the rifle if he's just going to throw it and run lol. That's not how I would've used it."
@Mr. Peckham shared, "He probably only survived because the sound of the snowmobile scared the bear for a moment. Riskyyyy..." Another commenter added, "He had a lottttt of faith in that snowmobile." I laughed when @Abby joked, "That bear has been trying to reach him about his car's extended warranty."
Commenter @Panya cracked me up when they said, "Wasn't in the mood for fast food so it stopped and waited for the next home delivery."Viewer @Luke K shared a reminder, "This is a good time to remember just because it looks cute doesn't mean it's friendly. Wildlife are often a lot more dangerous than people realize."
Outdoor Guide ranked 12 bear species by how dangerous they are, and polar bears held the number one spot. The spot was between polar bears and grizzly bears because both are iconic for their aggression, but Outdoor Guide shared, "Biology wins the day in our ranking. The largest bear in the world, polar bears clock in at an amazing size of 10 feet tall when standing, and commonly weigh over 1,700 pounds. These bears are also apex predators."
The article goes on to say, "Polar bears have incredibly sharp teeth and a bite force of about 1,200 psi. They are designed for ripping blubber off of seals, so imagine what they will do to you. Polar bears are not fussy about eating humans, either. They have even been known to hunt humans in some cases. If you plan on traveling to the Arctic, be sure to hire both a guide and a polar bear guard armed with a high-powered rifle." We want to add that you shouldn't drop the gun, either!
