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Family’s hike takes a turn when bear pops up behind their 12-year-old son
This is terrifying!
Jonathan Arrastia
06.18.20

Bear Necessities

Hikes are a way to de-stress from the rapid pace of common urban life. It’s a form of mediation for some, and for others a way to surround themselves in the tranquillity of Mother Nature. In northern Italy, in the province of Trentino, a group of six family members roamed a mountainous trail out in the wilderness to enjoy the great outdoors. Alessandro, a 12-year-old boy, had been very interested in animals especially bears. He walked around gleefully collecting pine cones when out of nowhere, the unexpected happens.

Lori Calliari
Source:
Lori Calliari

A brown bear, identified as a Marsican brown bear, was nestled in the bushes nearby the path Alessandro trekked. Suddenly, the bear began to follow the boy as he started to walk away from the furry creature. Alessandro’s stepfather, Lori Calliari, called over to his boy to remain calm and slowly start walking towards his direction.

“I noticed that he was moving and I told him (Alessandro) to walk slowly, to be careful, that I will take a picture but to move,” Calliari said.

The bear could be seen following in a very curious manner. It almost looked as if though he meant to stalk him for some odd motive. The craziest part was that the bear at certain points decided to stand upon its hind legs. Who really knows what was going on in this bear’s head at the time.

“I was nervous at first but then saw that the bear was not scared, was not acting, so I calmed down,” Lori said.

Lori Calliari
Source:
Lori Calliari

A Wild Encounter

In contrast, the young boy’s mother and grandmother could be heard shouting in the background as they became agitated with the situation. Honestly, who could blame them given the incredibly nerve-racking situation!

Luckily, Alessandro was as relaxed and calmed as could be and even asked his stepfather to take a picture of him with the bear in the background. “This is so cool!” said the young lad at one point. Bless his heart!

Lori Calliari
Source:
Lori Calliari

Interesting enough, the family had watched a YouTube video demonstrating what to do in the case that they encounter a bear. Lori said the family and Alessandro felt prepared to handle anything if it came their way. It looks like there lecture in bear safety was put to the test!

Fortunately for all parties involved, the Marsican bear turned around and skedaddled off into the distance. A huge sigh of relief could definitely be felt as the family was happy that their youngster returned fine and in one piece.

Lori Calliari
Source:
Lori Calliari

Stop, Duck, And Play Dead

Bears typically attack whenever they feel threatened. A common mistake hikers and campers make when encountering a bear is that they will drop their belongings and dash away to safety. This is a huge no no as it can actually worsen the situation and startle the bear even more.

Lori Calliari
Source:
Lori Calliari

According to a video demonstrating bear safety, tactics and techniques really depend on what kind of bear one faces in that scenario. For instance, experts warn that for black bears that begin to charge at you, one should try and stand their ground and attempt to fight back with all their might. Grizzly bears tend to be more aggressive than black bears. However, experts advise one should drop dead if one were to become startled and start becoming aggressive. A bear spray is also recommended to carry along with you for these types of nature ventures.

A very scary situation has turned into one that young Alessandro will never forget!

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