Thirteen hikers were chased by two giant grizzly bears this week in Banff National Park in central Canada. For twenty minutes, they kept a distance of more than ten meters from the crowd.

Among the thirteen people, the tour guide Phoebe Nicholson was the only one carrying bear spray, as Banff National Park is known for grizzly bears, but this was the first time she encountered one during six months of working as a local guide. Of course, she had received relevant training and knew what to do in this situation, but she was still very tense.

Both grizzly bears were large, but Nicholson thought they resembled a mother and her cub.

She added that the most important thing at that moment was to stay calm and walk slowly. When the hikers reached the lake, the bears finally left and continued their ascent up the mountain.

For his part, Nick De Roiter, who runs the wildlife training program in Canmore, said that bears, like humans, love following trails, so such encounters are not surprising. In this case, it is better to give them space: retreat slowly, talk to them in a calm voice, and not make direct eye contact.

Having bear spray available and knowing how to use it is also the top recommendation from Parks Canada. Other suggestions include making noises, such as singing, clapping, and talking loudly, when passing by springs or dense vegetation, etc.; walking in groups of four or more; and keeping dogs leashed when taking them into the mountains.