Brad Josephs, a photographer and wildlife guide, captured a viral video of a mother grizzly bear as she fights off a larger male grizzly to defend her young cubs. In the dramatic footage, one of the two cubs slips from a cliff, while the other cub disappears to seek shelter. The mama bear, which appears thin and small compared to the male, fights tooth and claw for her life and the safety of her family.
In his YouTube caption for the raw, unedited five-minute video of the fight, Josephs explains that this is a “fearless” mother coastal brown bear engaging with a male. The fight took place last summer along the Katmai coast in Alaska. Katmai National Park and Preserve features nearly 500 miles of coastline—home to diverse and abundant wildlife, including grizzly bears.
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Watch as a grizzly bear mom fights to defend her cubs:
Did the Family Survive?
In his Instagram post sharing a clip of the viral video, Josephs provides an update in the comments section, saying the mother grizzly and one of her cubs survived the harrowing ordeal.
“I have just confirmed that the female and one cub is alive, well, and more cautious 1745350689,” Josephs wrote. “One cub did not make it. This mother is a first year mom and very thin, so she likely would have had a tough time raising 2 cubs.”
Can you imagine witnessing something like this in the wild?