Witness a Grizzly Chase a Black Bear up a Tree in Glacier National Park

Written by Kirstin Harrington
Published: August 13, 2022
© Scott E Read/Shutterstock.com
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Glacier National Park, which was first designated as a national park in 1910, is made up of a region of mountain ranges that were sculpted by ancient glacier rivers. It has roughly 25 gleaming glaciers, 200 glittering lakes, dense woods, and alpine meadows.

According to estimates by researchers, the Glacier serves as a home for close to 1000 bears. Both grizzly bears and black bears may be seen at the Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park. A Youtuber by the name of “FelipeTheDragon” was visiting the beautiful space when they caught something incredible on camera. 

Deep in the forest or tall grass and even taller trees, the tourists spot a grizzly bear running towards something. Before you know it, you can see a black bear attempting to outwit the grizzly by running up a tree! 

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Think You Can?

The black bear makes scaling a 20-foot-tall tree look effortless. The brown bear (grizzly) makes a threatening attempt to climb after the black bear but instead thinks it’s smarter to patiently wait at the base of the tree. 

Black bears
Black bears are mighty predators. But are they tough enough to take on a grizzly? Watch what happens when bear species collide in the video below.

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Rivalry Between Bear Species

Bears may coexist in direct range to one another and even create alliances and bonds, despite the fact that they do not participate in hunts or live in large family groupings. Younger unrelated subadult bears congregate in pairs and groups, and some adult bears have even been observed mentoring younger bears.

Grizzly bears are carnivorous predators, which means they will consume both plants and other animals, such as black bears, in addition to insects. It is impossible to predict how a bear would act since they all respond differently during an interaction with one another.

When bears engage with one another, we can see that they interact with one another through body language, vocalizations, and odor cues. By terrifying their foe, bears demonstrate their superiority. Except under extreme circumstances, bears avoid conflict with one another. 

From this video, we can assume one of two things. First, they’re familiar with each other and have a friendly game of tag. It’s not uncommon for bears to chase one another for fun. The other interaction that could be occurring is a bit more sinister. The grizzly could be warning the black bear to stay in its lane. 

Bears use trees to rest, eat, and play while keeping themselves secure from predators. Bears often scale trees in search of food. Black bears are capable of pushing themselves up while grasping with their front legs. Their body stays in this posture as they descend, allowing them to wriggle themselves down the tree. 

Larger bears, like grizzlies, must discover a new technique to climb and descend trees. Grizzly bears carefully pull themselves up as they ascend using sturdy branches that can hold their weight. Some bears have exceptionally good claw structure, powerful muscles, and clever climbing techniques.

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The Featured Image

Grizzly Bear (Ursus Arctos Horriblis) - grizzly bear growling
© Scott E Read/Shutterstock.com

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About the Author

When she's not busy playing with her several guinea pigs or her cat Finlay Kirstin is writing articles to help other pet owners. She's also a REALTOR® in the Twin Cities and is passionate about social justice. There's nothing that beats a rainy day with a warm cup of tea and Frank Sinatra on vinyl for this millennial.

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