Bear Run: Brown Bear Spotted On Country Road Amazes Spanish Driver [Video]
A driver was traveling along the highway in northern Spain, just minding his own business, when he caught an amazing sight in his headlights. It seems a brown bear was taking the same route for an evening run.
This is an unusual occurrence at any time, as the brown bears are rare and normally quite shy. The driver was especially surprised to spot the bear on the road between Cangas and Somiedo in Asturias, and immediately grabbed his phone to capture the experience and upload it to YouTube.
While it is an unusual occurrence, José Tuñon, director of Asturias’ Bear Foundation, told the Local that people should take care when spotting a brown bear like this.
“While bear numbers are rising steadily, it is still very unusual to see bears on the roads.
This time of year, May and June, is mating season, so we do see bears moving around more.”
He said that should anyone see a brown bear while driving in Spain, they should not attempt to follow the bear, as this driver obviously did.
“Make sure you brake or stop your vehicle to allow the bear to cross the road and if you see an accident involving a bear, call the local police.”
Tuñon added that whatever people do, they do not want to scare that bear.
VIDEO: Un-bear-lievable! Bear filmed on late night run in Spain http://t.co/2c2C4E4MUJ pic.twitter.com/Mt0yb9vwv7
— The Local Spain (@TheLocalSpain) June 24, 2015
While travelers are not likely to spot them easily, the Spanish language newspaper El Mundo reported earlier this month that a hiker in northern Spain was attacked by a brown bear while taking photos on a hiking trail.
Also, the Inquisitr reported last winter the story of a brown bear cub that turned up on someone’s doorstep in the snow in a small village up in the Picos de Europa mountains in northern Spain.
The Cantabrian brown bear is an endangered species in Spain, and can reach weights of up to 200kg (441lb).
A Russian commenter on the video on YouTube was asking why the sighting was so special, as they regularly see bears on the road. However, according to research done by the Asturias Bear Foundation, there are currently only approximately 200 Cantabrian brown bears existing in the wilds of Spain, with the largest concentration being in the north of Asturias.
[Image: Cantabrian brown bear Creative Commons Attribution Share Alike Malene Thyssen – inset screen grab from YouTube video by Casa Muniellos Muniellos]
