So, a bear and a cougar meet in the woods and…decide that they don’t like each other very much! This incredible footage documents the moment when a cougar encounters a sleepy bear who has taken a break from its hibernation.
Black bears are found in many places in North America and lead solitary life and spend most of their time sleeping or looking for food. As the winter approaches, they have to build up reserves to get them through hibernation. As the weather deteriorates, black bears retreat into dens in tree hollows or in burrows where they stay through winter. It is not a true hibernation. Even though their body temperature drops a little, they do wake up and come out to find snacks. The last thing they want to come across, in their sleepy state, is a bouncy cougar who wants to make trouble!
Cougar vs Bear Standoff
At first, the bear tries to fend off the cougar’s attention. This young animal is on the prowl and is possibly trying to establish his territory. Cougars are magnificent big cats – they are North America’s second largest cat and not something that you want to meet in the woods, even if you are a bear. They grow to up to nine feet in length and, like bears, lead a solitary lifestyle.
It looks like this young cougar has never seen a bear before and is fascinated. They are ambush predators and like to creep up on their prey and pounce. The cougar in this clip is clearly practicing his moves! He keeps coming back to disturb the bear who eventually gets irritated and things turn pretty nasty. Just when you think that one of these wonderful animals will get badly hurt, the cougar rolls over in a submissive gesture. You’ve probably seen domestic cats do the same when they are playing.
It may have been a joke for the cougar but we don’t think that the bear has seen the funny side and retreats back inside for some more sleep!
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