This past weekend a video of a plucky baby bear determined to crest a steep, snow-covered slope to join its mother at the top went viral. At first, it seemed most social media posts of the video celebrated the little bear as a source of inspiration, a sort of real-life version of the classic motivational poster of the kitten hanging onto a tree branch, with “You Can Do It” written below.
But it was also clear that the video was taken by a drone, as the camera swept in for a closer look. Some viewers were immediately rubbed the wrong way. Were the bears climbing a precipitously steep and snowy ridge because they were fleeing in panic from the drone? Or was the drone just capturing bears going about their normal business?
“The video going around of a bear cub scrambling up a snowy cliff to get back to its distressed mother is being shared as a heartwarming metaphor for persistence. It’s not,” wrote University of Maine ecologist Jacquelyn Gill on Twitter. “It’s a dangerous stunt by an irresponsible drone operator who should know better.”
There’s not really any proof that a drone took the footage, but it’s clear that short of extending a camera perched on a retractable boom, there’s no other way to capture this kind of footage without a drone. The buzzing of the little flying camera would likely have been noticed by the bears too, as they are by hikers, skiers, surfers, or anybody else unwittingly the subject of the prying eyes of a drone operator.
well I mean…the bear swipes at the drone and accidentally knocks the cub all the way down, just when it had reached the top, clear interference!
I hate to see this kind of irresponsible behavior by any photographer much less a pilot. This is exactly why National Parks are now off limit’s even to responsible and ethical cameraman.
The Mama Bear keeps looking at the drone, clearly bothered by it. The baby bear expended a lot of energy trying to climb the hill in the snow multiple times because of the presence of the drone. He could’ve died going over the cliff at the bottom. He could’ve died from exertion (and may have later). They don’t have a lot of fat stores at that point in life.
Drone operator needs to be cited for wildlife harassment and fined.
Not OK at all. If he had kept his distance, all had been fine. But when he came closer, Mama Bear clearly got scared for her baby and freaked out. Poor little cub! I’m glad he made it out unharmed!
Everyday I eat animals which have been tortured and slaughtered so this doesn’t seem that bad.
Is a bear afraid of a tiny, buzzing drone? Hmm.
Super cute video for sure.
In the beginning of the footage, the drone seems to be back at a distance that is not affecting the bears. The sow doesn’t seem to be paying it any mind. BUT, once the drone swoops in for a closer look, that is when it became wildlife harassment.