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Nobody in their right mind ever wants to get into a fight with a grizzly bear, because the grizzly bear would obviously win without breaking a sweat. Same goes for moose, at least among people who realize how big and mean moose really are. But what would happen if a moose and a grizzly ever got into a scrap?
Well, a daring wildlife expert got to find out for himself after witnessing a "moose vs. grizzly" chase at a remote Montana campground. Move over, Alien vs. Predator , so long, Freddy vs. Jason - this is a real-life clash of the titans!
This intense footage (shared to TikTok by @cbsnews ) came from Wes Larson, a wildlife expert and co-host of the podcast Tooth and Claw , which covers the "most extreme wild animal attacks ever documented." In Larson's original June 15 Instagram post , he explained that he'd covered the fatal grizzly bear mauling of Kevin Kammer on Tooth and Claw last summer. The fatal bear attack happened at the Soda Butte Campground near Cooke City, Montana, and since Larson was in the area, he decided to check the empty campground for himself, never guessing that he was about to see some grizzly aggression in action.
Related: Video of Moose Calf Reuniting with Mom in Alaska Has People Fired Up
At first, a large moose galloped out of the woods, seemingly alone. Larson, all too familiar with the dangers of agitated wildlife, watched and waited inside his car. Only a couple of seconds elapsed before a huge grizzly bear lumbered out of the woods, sending the moose off into a sprint. Ignoring Larson, the bear made a beeline for the moose, both animals passing within a few feet of Larson's corner. Staying inside his vehicle, Larson followed them with his camera until they rounded a corner out of sight.
Thankfully, the moose got away. While Larson didn't capture the moose's escape on camera, he noted that he later saw the thwarted bear "grazing on clover" in a field nearby. At least the bear didn't go hungry! Before Larson left, however, he noticed one more chilling detail.
"I checked the site number where the chase had just unfolded," Larson wrote on Instagram. "It was Site 26, the very same location of the fatal mauling 14 years ago."
Moose vs. Grizzlies
Moose may not be easy prey compared to smaller, slower moving mammals, but grizzlies aren't your average hunters, either. According to Alaska's Department of Fish and Game, grizzlies in Alaska have been known to not only predate on moose calves, but also hunt and kill adult moose in the spring. Not even black bears dare to take on adult moose... grizzlies are just "built different."
Before a grizzly can kill a moose, however, it has to catch the moose first. That's not an easy feat. Alaska Fish and Game claims that moose can run at speeds of up to 35 mph for up to two hours- that's some serious stamina! Grizzly bears , on the other hand, are good sprinters, but they fall short in the stamina department. According to Outdoor Life , grizzlies can hit up to 40 mph in short bursts, but they soon have to drop down to a still-speedy 25-28 mph to avoid overheating. A grizzly might be able to close the distance between a nearby moose very quickly, but if the moose has a running head start- as this one did- it might be able to outrun the grizzly.
Sometimes the grizzlies win, and sometimes the moose get away, but a mere unarmed human ain't winning a one-on-one battle with either animal. Good thing Larson stayed safe in his car!
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