Posted on 05/26/2017 3:24:59 PM PDT by nickcarraway
A mother elk and bear face off for the life of an elk calf. Screenshot: Shannon Seville/YouTube May 26 (UPI) -- A couple out observing nature in the Arizona mountains captured video of a mother elk kicking a bear in the face to rescue her calf.
Shannon Seville of Flagstaff said she and her boyfriend, Joel Floyd, were cruising the Forest Service roads near the city in their new Toyota Land Cruiser earlier this week when they stopped to observe a bear.
The video shows the bear menacing a crying creature concealed by a fallen branch, but is soon revealed to be a baby elk.
The bear's intentions toward the calf seem clear, but its meal plans are foiled when the mother elk appears and chases it partway up a tree.
The bear appears to decide it isn't afraid of the mother elk and makes another attempt to get the baby, leading the mother to kick it in the face.
The mother elk and calf flee as the bear climbs back to the safety of the tree.
"The animals left our line of vision and we weren't about to get out of the vehicle to follow. I imagine nature took its course, however it was meant to," Seville told The Arizona Republic. "The calf didn't appear injured, and the mother stayed near."
Definitely not a grizzly, maybe a brown bear?
Flagstaff AZ, no grizzlies there. I know, one might have strayed. Actually a brown (color) black bear. Little guy. Never really presented much of a threat. Not all that scared of the elk, else he’d have been at the top of the tree. But a cute video. They’re introducing elk here in WI the last few years. In the heart of wolf/bear country. To make the elk feel at home I suppose
That’s a great calf elk in distress sound to copy for hunting. I plan on practicing that sound. Maybe I should make sure I have a bear tag too.
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