Hi MrsD and Kiwi!
.


MrsD, Thanks so much for sharing this with us.
.


I was in the White Mountains 3 summers ago. The sun was setting and I had parked my car in a parking lot of vacation condos, all nicely tucked into heavily wooded areas. I had gotten out of my car and had started to walk across the parking lot when I saw a huge shadow move in front of a landscaping light (at ground level).

I had then felt a strong presence and had stopped in my tracks.
While I stood very still, a large bear came walking by me, within 15 feet of me, headed for the fenced-in garbage collection area for the condos. I could hear the pads of the bear's feet on the surface of the paved parking lot as the bear passed by. I stood still and watched.

The bear was able to get into the fenced-in garbage dumpsters. The bear was dumpster diving, grabbing contents of the dumpster, throwing garbage out over the fence and into the parking lot. I did not have a camera with me at the moment, unfortunately. I had watched the bear for 15 minutes or so.

A small car packed full of people had then hastily entered the parking lot and had quickly zoomed into the empty parking space next to the open doors of the fence where the bear was hanging out. They were opening their car doors, hooting and laughing, within 5 feet of the fence doors, which were wide open. The bear was looking at them from inside of the dumpster, just a few feet away. I had yelled across the parking lot and told them the bear was right there beside them, suggesting they stay in the car, close the car doors and move the car.

The driver and passengers had been out partying and thought this was all very funny. All 5 of them then jumped out of the car and went inside the fenced area, which was only a few feet wider than the dumpster, where the bear had taken up residence.

The bear roared at them, they then ran as fast as they could into their condo. The bear wanted to stay with the dumpster, fortunately.

(
.
-- Grizzly Roar, although this bear was not a Grizzly.)

I was glad that was the end of the story, so relieved nobody had gotten hurt.

As we all know, it's never a good idea to approach a bear, and this is especially so when the bear is engaged with food. I could not believe these people's judgment was so impaired as to run into the garbage pen with the bear.

I can still feel the relief I'd felt when nobody had gotten hurt as I re-tell the story.

I think most of us, if not all, find bears fascinating, adorable and fun to watch. So many of us also grew up with favorite "teddy bears," etc. It's so important to remember encounters with bears can be dangerous.

Thanks again for sharing an awesome video.

Love All Around,

.