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"Skip
trots all day long with the hounds . . . He is most affectionate and
intelligent, but when there is a bear or lynx at bay he joins in the fight
with all the fury of a bull dog"
Theodore
Roosevelt (1858–1919)
Roosevelt's Letters to His Children
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (USA) — Having
been nearly wiped off the planet by hunters and habitat destruction in the
20th century, it's understandable that grizzly bears aren't the best of
friends with humans. That's why it's a good idea to always keep a
dog handy to act as ambassador in case of a grizzly encounter.
Don Mobley, 56, was unlucky enough to find himself standing between a
mother and her cub last weekend at the Nakochna River. He's alive
today thanks to his 3-year-old German Shepherd mutt named
"Shadow".
The Knoxville
News-Sentinel reports that Mr. Mobley was gathering firewood on
Saturday when he looked up and noticed a grizzly cub staring at him
inquisitively, about 15 feet away.
An experienced camper, Mr. Mobley knew that big mama would be nearby, and
sure enough she was, clambering over a log and heading straight toward
him.
"She growled and came at me," he describes. "She
was so close—I knew it wasn't a
false charge."
Mr. Mobley said that he made a run for the river but knew that the sow
was gaining. She was about 10 feet behind him when Shadow darted out
of the woods and intercepted the bear. Both the momma and her cub
retreated with the pooch in hot pursuit.
"The only thing that saved me was my dog," says Mr. Mobley.
Shadow emerged several seconds later with some superficial injuries,
raw spots behind his ears where he may have been clawed or bitten.
"He's a really tough dog," the man says, indicating that this
isn't the first time the protective pooch has chased off bears.
"He's just fast enough he can harass them."
As a reward, Shadow was fed his favorite: pizza and potatoes.
(What... no bear claw danish for dessert?)
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Don gives his pooch a big bear hug for
taking on a grizzly. (Photo: Jim Lavrakas / Anchorage
Daily News)
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Scoop
Nature Tips
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| Q. How do
you stop a bear from charging?
A. Take away its credit card.
When walking through bear
country, always travel in twos. That way, if a bear shows up, you
can trip the other person.
For more nature tips, click
here!
DISCLAIMER: The
Scoop accepts no responsibility for injuries or lawsuits that
result from following Scoop Nature Tips.
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"Y'all come back now, y'hear?"
Despite their horrible name—Ursus
arctos horribilis—not all
grizzlies are mean. But just to be safe, you'd better check with
your dog before you accept any invitations. (Photo: Corbis.com)
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