A woman walking her dog in Kananaskis Country captured video of a grizzly bear approaching and lunging at her pet on Wednesday [1].
The incident highlights a growing trend of bold wildlife behavior in the Alberta Rocky Mountains, where officials said bears are becoming increasingly fixated on humans and pets [4].
The encounter occurred in a wilderness campground area west of Calgary [2]. According to the footage and reports, the grizzly bear approached within a few meters of the woman and her dog [1]. While some reports describe the bear as appearing a short distance away, other accounts said the animal repeatedly lunged at the dog and seemed to charge before eventually retreating [3, 4].
The woman remained composed during the interaction and yelled at the bear to deter it [2]. This event was one of two separate bear incidents reported in the area during the same week [1]. In the other instance, a camper was forced to use bear spray after a grizzly bear tore a hole in their tent [1].
Wildlife officials said the bear in the woman's encounter was likely foraging and became fixated on the dog [4]. The proximity of the bear to the woman underscores the risks associated with walking pets in high-density bear habitats, especially during peak foraging seasons.
Local authorities have issued warnings to visitors in Kananaskis Country to remain vigilant. They said visitors should keep dogs on short leashes and carry bear spray at all times to prevent further dangerous interactions.
“The bear approached within a few metres, lunged at her dog and then retreated.”
The clustering of these incidents—a targeted approach on a pet and an attempted tent breach—suggests a shift in grizzly behavior toward habituation. When bears lose their natural fear of humans or associate pets with prey or threats, the likelihood of aggressive encounters increases, necessitating stricter adherence to wildlife safety protocols in the Alberta Rockies.
