As humans, we need find ways to coexist with nature, even though our worlds sometimes clash: a manmade road or bridge might be great for getting people where they need to go, but end up blocking animals from their natural paths and putting them in danger.
But sometimes we’ll go out of our way to look out for our animal neighbors… like these drivers, who stopped everything to let a family of bears cross a busy road.
The scene occurred on June 2 at Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming. A mama grizzly suddenly appeared by the side of the road, with four young bear cubs following her lead.
As they headed into the street, it’s easy to imagine how this could’ve gone bad: an unwitting driver could’ve struck the animals, or an impatient driver could’ve tried to honk them away, possibly scaring them off and separating the cubs from their mom.
But none of that happened. Instead, all the drivers agreed to pull over and let the bears pass:
Not only did the drivers not mind, they loved the opportunity to see the bear and her cubs up close. You can hear the clicking of photographs, and onlookers praise the mama bear for being so protective of her cubs.
While there were many people around, they all kept their distance. And the bear, apparently sensing her family was safe, guided her cubs across the street, paying no mind to the humans.
According to the park’s website, it is common to see a bear sighting like this in the area.
“Black bears and grizzly bears thrive in Grand Teton National Park and the John D. Rockefeller Jr. Memorial Parkway. You may encounter a bear anywhere at anytime.”
“Some of the most popular trails pass through excellent bear habitat. Bears will usually move out of the way if they hear you approaching.”
It’s always inspiring to get a view of a mother in the wild caring for her young… and it’s also inspiring so many people respected these animals and let them cross peacefully.
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