It’s a video that’s been viewed over half a million times in the last week: harrowing footage of a bear cub desperately scaling a near-vertical, snow-covered cliff in order to reach his mother waiting at the top.
Maybe you’ve even shared this clip yourself, marveling at the perseverance of the cub and the wonder of mother nature in this untouched wilderness.
But experts are telling another side to the story, stating that the bear only led her baby up this dangerous terrain in a panicked effort to get away from the drone that was filming them.
In one of the most heart-stopping moments of the video, the cub nears the top of the cliff, coming within inches of safety. At that point, the camera zooms in – which means the drone got closer. You can see the mother looking directly into the camera before lunging towards the drone and swiping for her cub, after which her tired baby loses grip and slides down the precarious slope.
Both animal behavior professionals and expert drone pilots claim that the bear was trying to protect her baby from the approaching drone.
“It showed a pretty stark lack of understanding from the drone operator of the effects that his actions were having on the bears,” said Sophie Gilbert, an ecologist at the University of Idaho who studies the effects of drones on wildlife.
Very little is known about the drone footage and who filmed it; only that it was shot earlier this year in Russia.
This is yet another case of overzealous and careless human interest affecting and endangering animals. In September, a moose died in Vermont after crowds of people wanting photos scared the exhausted animal back into a lake, where it drowned.
We don’t begrudge people for having an innate curiosity about the natural world, because it is a wonderful thing to behold; however, we encourage anybody who comes across wild animals to appreciate them from a distance and do everything possible to minimize your impact.
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It is not only this stupid asshole with a drone is to blame (he must be in prison, for sure), but all those stupid no-brain people (with this such a wide spread consumption behaviour) that would watch any ‘funny’ complitaion about animals, and they absolutely do not see what stands behind t such ‘funny’/’cute’ videos!!! People are getting stupid.
This is a perfect, though irresponsible and reckless example of humans and wildlife interaction. Drones are useful for some things such as search and rescue. now, what they are not useful for is scaring animals like this. What the hell is this person doing? Education and common sense is a big part of this and I don’t think that’s exactly what it is in this instance. It’s thrilling for this person from what it looks like and from reading the story, for how long it was going on for. Interest can’t lead to dangerous situations. There has to be a strict policy relating to drones. Remember the lasers people were playing with? It was a problem for planes. Countries should take something from that. Wondering about that bear cub and his mother is tough to think about.
Humans need to stop doing such stupid things…if u must view wildlife..do it at a distance and do not use drones.the animals do not understand these things..they become fearful….humans need to stop causing problems for the animal world..we are not the owners of this planet..we need to learn to respect that
When anyone purchase a drone they should have the necessary training & understanding of their use. Again humans with NO idea what they had caused yet this seemed obvious the baby was desperate to reach mommy they should have left well alone for the baby to be safe. Pure idiot
When I was watching the video I was so anxious for the cub and the mother. Now that I understand the drone was what was causing the struggle of the bears, I feel even worse for them. What can be done about people terrorizing animals just to photograph them?
Drones are very useful items and can be of great assistance to photographers and videographers alike but with little experience of animal behavior they can be extremely dangerous as was witnessed by this terrible action by one who does not understand.
The video shot by this drone operator should be exposed on all social media for what it is-wildlife harassment.
Yes indeed!!
The person who was operating the drone in the near fatal bear cub incident should have his licence revoked never work again, imprisoned and put on a wildlife wall of shame for eternity!!
Licensing in Russia?
AGREE!
Perfect punishment for this idiot., With you on this one..
The person who was operating the drone in the near fatal bear cub incident should have his licence revoked never work again, imprisoned and put on a wildlife wall of shame for eternity!!
Very sad.
HORRIBLE PEOPLE !!!
THE ONLY THING THEY CARE IS PUBLICITY AND STUPIED SELFIES !!!
I am so sorry and lucky mama bear didn’t lose her cub. We humans should understand that we are here to protect our world
I. Agree but those kind of humans do have a heart and do care for the beautiful wildlife we have and people wonder why the wildlife turns on them all the time
HUMANS ARE THE DUMBEST ANIMALS ON THIS PLANET
You are right. There appears to be no limit to the stupidity or cruelty of humans when it comes to harassing animals or defenseless people. Poor little bear cub. I hope he will be OK.
I entirely agree with you!!
Did the cub survive? No info on this.
He made it to the top and ran off with his mama, so it would seem he did, this time at least.
Animals (wildlife) are not toys. Please leave them alone
jackass
Keep up the good work, speaking for those who cannot speak for themselves.
This is ALL wrong, drone’s filming
Time for worldwide CHANGE
These people who are heartless and stupid enough not to understand wildlife must stay off the drones and find another toy they can play with.
That the drone filming caused the panic in 5he mothe4 bear is unforgivable and irresponsible behaviour. I didn’t enjoy watching it because it was clear the mo5her and youngster were in distress. Knowing 5he cause of that panic makes me very angry.
Not cute at all…especially when learning that a human-controlled buzzing DRONE was involved! NOT the tale of perseverance and tenacity but one of fear and escape against the odds of a sheer icy mountainside! Was the drone operator ready to drop a life-saving sling after getting his morbid jollies? STUPID STUPID HUMANS! Glad the little fella made it to mama’s safety and protection!
When will science learn that nature needs time to understand? When will those controlling drones learn NOT to harass wildlife? Seriously – GET A CLUE HUMANS AND STOP BEING STUPID AND STOP HARMING WILDLIFE! WTF DID I EVER DO TO YOU???? LEAVE IT ALONE AND LET IT BE!
Sad that even when we love wild animals we often don’t know how to interact with them in a way that’s in their best interests.
Sad that even when we love wild animals we often don’t know how to interact with them in a way that’s in their best interests.
That’s so sad
disgusting!
Russians authorities need to offer a reward leading to the arrest of the drone operator. People like this don’t respect nature, they are just looking to make a video that would go viral online. Idiots like this need to serve jail time. That’s the only way they will learn right from wrong. And I imagine a Russia jail is no cake walk.
Every day I am more disappointed in humans.
True. There appears to be a large percentage of the human race moving towards a less advanced state of intelligence.
I hope someone pushes the idiot off a cliff.
Agreed the mother and her cub didn’t deserve this they don’t understand “drone language”
In tears writing this. WHAT THE HE’LL IS WRONG WITH PEOPLE??? Just BASTARDS THAT ALL. JUST BASTARDS
When will people learn to respect animals in their environment!
Thank God he made it. Russians crush all your drones.
and Americans, and Chinese, and French, etc
I totally agree wildlife is beautiful and wonderful to look at. But please at a distance.to protect yourself and then. Anybody finding it funny that a mother is trying to save and protect her baby from to her a threat should ask yourself what if that was you how funny is that?
I was mesmerized by the video & the poor little thing struggled so hard but finally made it up to it’s Mama. I was so afraid the cub wouldn’t make it & to find out that people caused the little bugger so much stress angers me greatly.
These shocking, heartbreaking, horrific, barbaric images of how far these psychopaths go in brutalizing beautiful innocent animals, whether domestic or wild are getting worse and worse in severity and more and more in frequency. As mankind’s mass lust for cruelty and violence increases the atrociousness of these brutal unconscionable acts also increases.
I have hand written letters about ivory and bullfights and dog and cat abuse as long ago as the 1980s-but look- it’s worse than ever despite small pockets of success, many of which reverse for the worse in time.
So who is TO BLAME? WE KNOW IT IS NOT GOING TO CHANGE DON’T WE? These “polite, civil” requests do very little most of the time.
LAW ENFORCEMENT, THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM, FEDERAL AND STATE POLICY AND THE LACK OF AGGRESSIVE PROSECUTION OF THESE MONSTERS WHO ROAM THE COUNTRYSIDE ARE TO BLAME NOW. THEY HAVE GRAVELY SINNED BY OMISSION.
If they let the vile subhumans who rape dogs and goats off with anything less than 40 years in prison why are they surprised when their sisters and mothers and wives brutally raped?
If they let off someone who cuts off the legs or genitals of a poor dog we can thank them when the next Jeffrey Dahmer or Ted Bundy or John Wayne Gacy strikes a unsuspecting victim who crosses their path. I THINK THEY SHOULD BE PUT TO DEATH ACTUALLY.
Who can pick up a knife or ax and feel good cutting off a limb of a living angel? WHO can torch the face of a living dog or cat while smiling and conversing? Only the lowest low who deserve to never see the light of day again. THEY SHOULD GET EXACTLY WHAT THEY GIVE ACTUALLY.
IF THE LAW DOES NOT DISH OUT AS SEVERE A PENALTY AS A WHEN A HUMAN BEING IS VIOLATED THEY ARE PUTTING CHILDREN, OUR PETS, THE ELDERLY AND OURSELVES IN DANGER.
I saw this but refused to watch the video. I just knew something awful was going to happen. animals are so vulnerable. especially the babies. I used to think nature was so beautiful.. beautiful woods.. beautiful creeks.. beautiful meadows but animals’ existence is so brutal.. so different from the “beauty” of nature.. and man has made it so much worse.
I agree completely with Sam. I chose not to watch the video either. I didn’t feel like crying.
People are so gosh darn stupid, with absolutely no common sense.
In their stupidity and total disregard for animals, the earth, and caring people. they ruin everything they touch.
YES! — I agree with Author — We watch from a distance — if taking footage annoys animals causing them fear and distress, we MUST NOT do this and STEP AWAY — after all, we do NOT want to cause damage — I hope cub made it — I believe he did, probably with Mom’s help
I wish people would leave the animals alone and let them be!