Trail Cam Catches a Grizzly Chasing a Herd of Alberta Wild Horses

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While we do enjoy having many animals that we can call our pets. Many of us who adopt these animals as more than just pets have become our family. Animals such as dogs, cats, fish, hamsters, birds, and so many other animals, it’s hard to list them all! 

However, for the animals that cannot be adopted, as there is no way all animals in the world can have a human family, we must protect them in their natural environment. Sadly, to many people, animals in the wild are nothing more than a nuisance to them. We will dive more into that later.

Let’s take a look at what happened in this video shot below.

The video shown above is a trail camera that is part of a wide array of trail cameras set up by The Wild Horses of Alberta Society to capture images and videos of the band of Alberta wild horses in Canada. We see a group of seven beautiful wild horses that are running at a high rate of speed. Close behind them; we see an enormous grizzly bear that is in close pursuit of them. As the video goes on from different angles, we are able to see that the grizzly bear, while close on their heels, is not quite fast enough to catch up to them. 

Is it Normal For Grizzly Bears to Attack Horses?

The short answer here is, it depends.

There are many documented cases of grizzlies mauling horses and their riders. While riders should always show caution when venturing into known bear-inhabited areas, it’s important to note that while grizzly bears and horses are not known natural enemies, there are moments when Grizzlies will charge or attack horses.

In the event of a bear encounter in the wilderness, whether on horseback or not, experts advise staying calm, speaking in a low, non-threatening tone, and gradually moving away while keeping the bear within their line of sight.

What is The Wild Horses of Alberta Society?

This group is there for the safety of the Alberta wild horses in Canada. Their mission statement says, “WHOAS Mission has been and continues to be, to ensure the provision of all aspects of the conservation and humane treatment of wild horses in Alberta. We are committed to the preservation of these magnificent animals in their natural environment.”

Sadly, they share that wild horses have been an integral part there in Alberta since the early 1700s. However, there have been numerous issues with the population because of people shooting strays and trappers. 

How Fast Can Horses Run?

These sleek, beautiful animals weigh approximately 380-550 kilograms (840-1,200 pounds) and are able to get up to speeds of 40 miles per hour. As we saw from the video below, they were able to outrun this mama grizzly bear.

How Fast Can Grizzly Bears Run?

Grizzly bears are fierce protectors of their young that weigh 181kg – 318 kilograms (400-800 pounds) and can run up to 35 miles per hour. From the description on the YouTube video, this mama bear had two young cubs with her. It is a possibility this band of Alberta wild horses somehow got in the way of her cubs, and she took this as a threat.