CAUGHT ON CAMERA: Bear chases Alberta joggers

Monday, June 16, 2014, 10:43 AM - This is likely a jog that will never be forgotten.

Two men looking to get some exercise on the Matcheetawin Discovey Trails near Fort McMurray, Alberta came dangerously close to a black bear earlier this month.

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The video was shot on June 5 and has quickly picked up thousands of views after being posted to YouTube last Friday.

And you can see why.

In the video, the bear follows the joggers for several minutes with at one point appearing to take a run at them.

“The moment that I met the bear it was an instant ‘turn around, don’t make eye contact, walk away,’ and that didn’t seem to work,” Bruce Allan, who filmed the video, told CTV Edmonton. “I was ready for him to pretty much pounce on me at any time. For about three or four minutes I figured, what part of me is going to get gouged or ripped open?”

As you can see in the video, the men carried rocks in their hands which they say they picked up in case they needed to defend themselves.

As the bear began to lose interest and climb up a tree, the pair quickly ran to safety in their vehicle nearby. 

What to do if you encounter a bear 

Encountering bears is not as rare as one might think and it's always important to be prepared and know what to do. 

• Never feed or approach bears. When bears begin to associate food with humans, they lose their natural fear of humans. 
• Always look ahead when in the woods to see if you spot any wild animals. Try not to be quiet when walking around the wilderness. It's possible you could walk close to a bear and end up surprising it. 
• Make sure to never walk toward dead animals. Bears are scavengers and can often approach carcasses. Keep an eye out for crows or ravens! That might be a clue that there is a dead animal nearby.
• It's important to remember that despite their bulky size, bears are very agile animals. They can be as fast as horse uphill or downhill. They are also strong swimmers and have great eyesight. 
• If it is standing up, that means its trying to identify you. Talk slowly and move away, keeping an eye on the animal. If a bear is running toward you, do not play dead. Instead try to escape to a secure place like a car. If you have no other options trying to intimidate the bear with weapons such as branches.

With files from CTV