Naturalists have long been interested in knowing how fast grizzly bears can actually run. In 1937 William E. Kearns wrote a bulletin issued by Yellowstone National Park estimating their top speed at 30mph citing several anecdotal stories of grizzly keeping pace with cars, chasing horseback riders and covering great distances in lightning fast times:
“With a background of old-timer lore on the speed and cunning of this great animal, I determined to discover if possible, the facts as they might be available for Yellowstone.”
There is some modern day conjecture about how fast a grizzly can run but the National Wildlife Federation places their top speed at 35mph over short distances. For reference an average domestic horse can gallop at 30mph and the fastest known human, Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt, reached a top speed of 27.33mph at the 2009 World Championships in Athletics between the 60 and 80 meter marks during the 100-meter sprint.
The following footage comes from the forests of Canada where a helicopter startled a grizzly bear who took off at top speed. With the avionics out of view and no reliable frame of reference, it is difficult to determine how fast this grizzly was moving but suffice it say its faster than any human could achieve on uneven terrain.
Encountering a grizzly bear in the wild may induce an instinctual flight response but your chances of outrunning one are essentially zero and running may also trigger a bear to chase. Instead you should hold your ground and back away slowly while making the bear aware of your presence. For more on proper grizzly bear encounter protocol read the following guidelines issued by Parks Canada.
Parks Canada Grizzly Encounter Safety Guidelines:
Stop and remain calm. Get ready to use your bear spray. Do not run away.
Is the bear UNAWARE of your presence?
Move away quietly without getting its attention.
Is the bear AWARE of your presence?
Bears may bluff their way out of an encounter by charging and then turning away at the last second. Bears may also react defensively by woofing, growling, snapping their jaws and laying their ears back.
- Stay calm. Your calm behaviour can reassure the bear. Screams or sudden movements may trigger an attack.
- Speak to the bear. Talk calmly and firmly. This lets the bear know you are human and not a prey animal. If a bear rears on its hind legs and waves its nose about, it is trying to identify you.
- Back away slowly. Never run! Running may trigger a pursuit.
- Make yourself appear BIG. Pick up small children and stay in a group.
- Do not drop your pack. It can provide protection.
If you must proceed, make a wide detour around a bear or wait at a safe distance for it to move on.
If the bear approaches:
Stop and remain calm. Get ready to use your bear spray. Do not run away. Assess the bear’s behaviour and determine why it is approaching.
Is it DEFENSIVE?
The bear is feeding, protecting its young and/or surprised by your presence. It sees you as a threat. The bear will appear stressed or agitated and may vocalize.
- Try to appear non-threatening.
- Talk in a calm voice.
- When the bear stops advancing, start slowly moving away.
- If it keeps coming closer, stand your ground, keep talking, and use your bear spray.
- If the bear makes contact, fall on the ground and play dead. Lie still and wait for the bear to leave.
Is it NON-DEFENSIVE?
A bear may be curious, after your food, or testing its dominance. In the rarest case, it might be predatory–seeing you as potential prey. All of these non-defensive behaviours can appear similar and should not be confused with defensive behaviours.
The bear will be intent on you with head and ears up.
- Talk in a firm voice.
- Move out of the bear’s path.
- If it follows you, stop and stand your ground.
- Shout and act aggressively.
- Try to intimidate the bear.
- If it approaches closely, use your bear spray.
Handling an ATTACK
Most encounters with bears end without injury. If a bear actually makes contact, you may increase your chances of survival by following these guidelines. In general, there are 2 kinds of attack:
Defensive
This is the most COMMON type of attack.
- Use your bear spray.
- If the bear makes contact with you: PLAY DEAD!
PLAY DEAD! Lie on your stomach with legs apart and position your arms so that your hands are crossed behind your neck. This position makes you less vulnerable to being flipped over and protects your face, the back of your head and neck. Remain still until you are sure the bear has left the area.
These defensive attacks are generally less than two minutes in duration. If the attack continues, it may mean it has shifted from defensive to predatory—FIGHT BACK!
Predatory
The bear is stalking (hunting) you along a trail and then attacks. Or, the bear attacks you at night. This type of attack is very RARE.
- Try to escape into a building, car or up a tree.
- If you cannot escape, do not play dead.
- Use your bear spray and FIGHT BACK.
FIGHT BACK! Intimidate that bear: shout; hit it with a branch or rock, do whatever it takes to let the bear know you are not easy prey. This kind of attack is very rare, but it is serious because it usually means the bear is looking for food and preying on you.