Wild Brown Bear Comes And Takes A Seat Next To Man In Camping Chair

Jul 19, 2020 by apost team

A brown bear at McNeil River in Alaska sits next to a group of bear viewers as he checks out the river below.

Animals are naturally adorable, but when they do the things that humans do, things that you would not imagine they could do, they warm our hearts even more. What would be your first reaction if while out at a park sitting at a bench, a stranger walks up to you and takes a seat next to you?

Ordinarily, you are likely to find that a little alarming. In fact, you might start thinking about your safety and that of your belongings before trying to strike a conversation with your newfound neighbor. This is what happened to Drew Hamilton at McNeil River State Game Sanctuary in 2014. Only this time, his neighbor was a big brown bear.

Perhaps it has happened to other visitors at the park, and they were probably too nervous to film the moment but Hamilton filmed this heartwarming instant. He was among the lucky few visitors who had been allowed into the park to witness the annual bear salmon fishing that happens in the park between June and August each year.

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According to Travel Alaska, the park is protected and only a limited number of visitors are allowed in at any time. This is the most popular time with visitors to this sanctuary since they get to watch the biggest congregation of brown bears in the world as they gather to catch salmon at McNeil Falls inside the park.

As Hamilton sat on a bench on this particular day, he only expected to enjoy and photograph the spectacular sight. Then the unthinkable happened. While at the park, visitors are expected to behave predictably, consistently, and naturally to avoid frightening the bears. This is what Hamilton was doing as he sat calmly at a bench, as he watched the brown bears arrive one after the other.

While enjoying the spectacular sight, one bear did the most heartwarming thing, something that he would not have expected to happen or even get the opportunity to capture it on video.

One brown bear walked up to him and took a seat next to him on the ground. He sat there for a while, calmly, yawning, and stretching, unalarmed. It was as if it could sense a familiarity between him and Hamilton. Luckily, he did not let this rare moment pass him by. He was able to capture one of the most touching videos that I have watched in a long time.

You should make a point of watching it too. Sometimes, we become suspicious of strangers who come close to us, not knowing they could mean no harm. While it is good to be cautious about who we interact with, sometimes the strangers we meet may leave unforgettably good memories about our encounters.

It may be that they are only pausing before moving on with their commitments. If we are keen, it may awaken us to the fact that they too need a minute's rest to recharge, strategize, or convince themselves that the task ahead is not too big for them.

Did you pick any lesson about how the bear is unalarmed as it sits next to Drew? What about how Drew acted calmly even though the brown bear could have turned against him? Leave a comment to let us know your thoughts about this and be sure to pass this encounter of man and bear along!