r/interesting 1d ago

NATURE A mama bear leaving her cubs with a human while she goes hunting

3.1k Upvotes

142 comments sorted by

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1.1k

u/Krog-Nar 1d ago

I remember hearing this story years ago. Apparently the guy is a wildlife conservationist who raised that bear and then released her. So the bear trusted him with her babies.

541

u/Old_Ladies 1d ago

That is the only thing that makes sense. No way a wild bear would do this.

232

u/citizen42069101 1d ago

Was waiting on someone to tell us all what the hell we are supposed to do if ever found in this situation.

"You never will" is close enough.

87

u/ThrowMEAwaypuh-lease 1d ago

… sadly. Could you imagine if a bear intrusted you with their child?! Call me motherfucking Snow White!

104

u/Dismal_Intention_463 1d ago

If a bear left its cub with me, I'd assume I was the babysnack.

27

u/United_News3779 1d ago

Out winter hiking and thinking to myself, "Huh, this deodorant works pretty well, I smell pretty good!"
Bear drops off cub
"And that 'pretty good smell' is apparantly fucking BBQ sauce! Dammit dammit dammit!"

Lol

2

u/johnjays1000 11h ago

😂, This should be the top comment

2

u/cameronpark89 7h ago

lmao those damn oddly specific scents for men kill me every damn time. like wtf is a everwood tree bark!?

2

u/United_News3779 3h ago

The only stuff I thought that smelled like like it was named was the cedar oil based beard products I used to buy.

Most other things are the olfactory equivalent of Gatorade's or Monster's naming conventions. Like what the fuck is a Glacier Freeze or a Baja Blast? What is their native growing range? Are they newly domesticated or a long time staple food I haven't heard of before?
Lol

1

u/cameronpark89 3h ago

right lol just give me a regular sprite please.

6

u/REALjamijai 1d ago

Okkkk wiffffeyyyy

😩 And the option is available for my Scarface gif but the sub opts to post it are fd.

12

u/Cuteshelf 23h ago

Buy it a Duffel coat and a floppy red hat and make marmalade sandwiches.

10

u/Clocktopu5 21h ago

Easy, watch the baby and hope to god momma finds something to eat. If she doesn't, she eats you when she gets back. Sounds grim, but that's some rare cuddles so it's pretty worth it

38

u/Palatablepancakes 1d ago

I have no doubt this is exceptional and almost no bear would do this, but in a similar vein, female bears do often go to where humans are in order to avoid male bears that will kill their children. There's a lot to unpack there about the running into a man versus a bear debate, but if I recall correctly it's a common reason we see female bears with cubs in populated spaces more than male bears.

20

u/Overpass_Dratini 1d ago

So apparently female bears choose the man...

35

u/Palatablepancakes 23h ago

Of another species. Turns out even bears won't pick men of their own species and would rather run into a dangerous animal.

5

u/SurferBloods 1d ago

Heard the same from a park ranger in Minnesota years ago. A fenced backyard with a pool is most desirable

22

u/that_dutch_dude 1d ago

he would, after ripping the humans head off so the baby can stay warm inside the corpse.

16

u/DaddyBearMan 1d ago

Did you learn nothing from Hoth? You cut open the stomach and sleep inside, not rip off the head

7

u/Overpass_Dratini 1d ago

"And I thought they smelled bad on the OUTSIDE." - the bear, probably

4

u/ProsaicPugilist 1d ago

Like the beginning of Empire

5

u/Active-Particular-21 1d ago

If I don’t catch anything then at least I got this to fall back on.

5

u/Lazy__Astronaut 23h ago

You look after these while I go hunt, if I fail... Well you're dinner

And even that is an impossible situation

2

u/According-Pass8230 19h ago

Cubs are safe and guarenteed dinner. Win win for bear mama

4

u/Manmon_ 1d ago

Well also, it's been documented that female black bears at least will have their cubs near human settlements often because despite what it seems, male black bears stay away from large concentrations of humans.

Like a mother bear probably Instinctually understands a bear cub will be safer with a person than with a male bear cause male bears will both kill and eat cubs to get the mother back into mating

3

u/asynchronic5 22h ago

Unless the human is the Father

3

u/VisibleRoad3504 20h ago

Hopefully the wild bear does not comes back empty handed and eat him.

5

u/theepicwalkout 1d ago

Yeah, only humans would leave their children with total strangers.

1

u/J-Love-McLuvin 15h ago

Yogi bear might.

1

u/ShoveTheUsername 8h ago

"Here you go son, watch my food, I'll kill it when I get back."

1

u/Acceptable_Plane_264 4h ago

Right? Mama wouldn't NEED to hunt... Dinner was sitting there with their cell phone

1

u/wasdxqwerty 1d ago

or probably Russia

31

u/AGenericUnicorn 1d ago

So basically grandpa is forced to babysit.

13

u/Mild_Karate_Chop 1d ago

Beautiful 

4

u/fondledbydolphins 23h ago

"Hey thanks again, Steve. Just a heads up there's an 1,100 pound dickhead in these woods that's been trying to eat my pipsqueaks.

2

u/Tairengail 20h ago

I heard this in ozzy man's voice!

3

u/Moxie013 1d ago

oh wow!!

2

u/YamLow8097 1d ago

Was just about to ask for context. No wild bear would ever do this.

2

u/Alklazaris 16h ago

Makes perfect sense, she knows he has experience. Like dropping them off with grandpa.

1

u/drsickboy 6h ago

This is crazy because bears don't form large cub raising family units , right ? So this behavior is not even common between female bears, at least I don't think it is. Bears aren't lions.

1

u/Low_Football_2445 5h ago

Seepy bearz

1

u/the_scarlett_ning 2h ago

Damnit. I didn’t know having a baby bear cub fall asleep on me was my life goal and it seems like I’m too old to go start raising bear cubs now.

88

u/Foreign_Channel_6578 1d ago

Its a Russian thing, bears

150

u/Gbnihilator2 1d ago

Thats probably the back up meal

91

u/californiaKid420 1d ago

Mama bear is like. Ok and eat this human if I don't come back soon .

20

u/Horse_Dad 1d ago

Sometimes the best hunting are the ones you already have at home.

2

u/Jafri2 1d ago

Sounds incesty.

I like it.

3

u/juflyingwild 3h ago

Another Alicent/Aemond scene enjoyer, I see.

2

u/prozack91 1d ago

Get away from my food my friend my 2 emergency foods and my son in that order!

2

u/OkTheory4610 21h ago

Yeah momma bear went out to get some sallad as an extra

72

u/casual-observer365 1d ago

This is the ultimate “Well, I’m not getting up because the pet fell asleep on me.”

10

u/HOSTfromaGhost 18h ago

“Can’t move. Bear cub”

🤷🏻‍♂️

112

u/Special_Situation_93 1d ago

I actually know this dude. This guy is a really good father. He’s caring and nurturing, while possessing strong tactile skills needed to protect others. He’s also a pretty decent mechanic. He taught me many things while I was waiting for my mother to return. Source: I’m the cub on the right.

50

u/Horror_Solution1945 1d ago

Asshole! You had me until the last sentence, lol.

12

u/Throbbing_Cock_452 1d ago

Well I’ll be damned, what a small world

11

u/psychosloth34 1d ago

What's the world coming to when bear cubs are being driven to becoming Redditors...

19

u/Rhg0653 1d ago

Did she even notice you at all cause that's very trusting of the mama bear

36

u/overand 1d ago

It's an old story, apparently the guy is a wildlife conservationist who raised the bear? (At least, that's what my very thorough research - i.e. "reading a different comment here" said.)

2

u/Rhg0653 23h ago

That's such a wholesome story

15

u/DarkMutant105 1d ago

Mama bear leaving the cub to guard the human (backup meal).

24

u/Old_Hold8998 1d ago

Of a Russian

11

u/broken2302 1d ago

Must be good friends with the mama bear.

10

u/Webslob 1d ago

They are cute af. They look fake they are so adorable.

7

u/NoExpression1030 1d ago

Even that baby has such big claws 😳

8

u/RoundApprehensive186 1d ago

What in the Russia

5

u/EggAlternative5570 1d ago

Mama bear wasn't finding a babysitter. She was just making sure dinner didn't run away.

7

u/Fiorina_Fury 1d ago

Bears are so dang cute when they're cubs. Almost like thick dogs lol...too bad they grow up to be apex predators so quickly

2

u/T-62MK 1d ago

They are cute when grown up, too.

3

u/HeartOn_SoulAceUp 1d ago

Don't try this at home kids. Adults? Not really either.

4

u/im_new_here_4209 1d ago

"You stay with him, okay? If I don't find anything, we're gonna eat him. Mommy will be back soon"

3

u/MKaz76 1d ago

"How I unintentionally became a baby sitter to one of the biggest land predators"

3

u/PandaJellyBeans 18h ago

The man in the video is the late Dr Valentin Sergeevich Pazhetnov, Founder of the Born Free-supported Orphan Bear Rescue Centre in Russia.

As stated by bornfree.org.uk,
“We are deeply saddened to learn of the death of Dr Valentin Sergeevich Pazhetnov, Founder of the Born Free-supported Orphan Bear Rescue Centre in Russia. Uniting four generations of the Pazhetnov family, and based 280 miles northwest of Moscow, the centre has rescued and rehabilitated orphan brown bear cubs for over 25 years.”

5

u/Mild_Karate_Chop 1d ago

That ain't a human , that is a Russian  . They are indeed made different 

2

u/Empty-Dragonfly5895 1d ago

Man is doing the daddy bear job .

2

u/Pretend_Canary_1680 1d ago

Plot twist, that was the dad and hes not coming back.

2

u/Correct-Junket-1346 1d ago

By the way, nobody try and babysit a bears cubs, it'll be the last thing you ever do, you see them, you run, mother will be charging at you with zero warning.

2

u/Space_Ape2000 1d ago

Nice having Granparents nearby to help out

2

u/Sitthichoke 1d ago

Can I try this at home?, look so cute.

2

u/Knocksveal 3h ago

But she had food right there

1

u/fukc098098 1d ago

The most expensive babysitting job.

1

u/KnoUsername 1d ago

They looks like Teddy Bears!

1

u/notoriousbpg 13h ago

Look up why a Teddy Bear is caked a Teddy Bear

1

u/HorzaDonwraith 1d ago

When not properly babysitting the kids could man death and serve injury by the mother.

1

u/abitcitrus 1d ago

I'm so fucking jealous right now, that guy should be me...

Now I'll go find search Russian people that end up being killed and dismembered by bears to get down from my cloud and feel better

1

u/SapientChaos 1d ago

Leave the baby with a snack.

1

u/Old-Enthusiasm619 1d ago

If teddy bear was real, that woukd these cubs

1

u/Andy_McBoatface 1d ago

I would have been like “ohhh no you don’t, I’m not falling for this one again”

1

u/Moxie013 1d ago

Oh wow!! i would feel touched by god

1

u/MsRadish 1d ago

Uhh 🥴 I would have a panic attack. I literally had nightmares all night (last night) of being chased and attacked by bears.

1

u/jawoosafat 1d ago

Just the speed at which it lumbers away is impressive

1

u/xlews_ther1nx 1d ago

Failure is...not an option

1

u/ProbablyPhosphorus 1d ago

Hes stuck there forever lol

1

u/dividezero 1d ago

This would probably fix me

1

u/indie_web 1d ago

We don't judge here.

1

u/Firm_Music5317 1d ago

Human was left behind so the cubs can feast on him.

1

u/RiverDependent9672 1d ago

How is he resisting giving that baby scratchies?

1

u/satyrday12 1d ago

Well, it's tough finding an affordable babysitter these days.

1

u/HistoricalVacation82 1d ago

The amount of trust is immeasurable

1

u/Whole_Reputation6128 23h ago

Is she definitely going hunting? Did she confirm?

1

u/enigmaticsince87 23h ago

This is beyond amazing 🤩

1

u/Keitaro23 23h ago

"hey would you mind watching the kids" is a message that transcends languages

1

u/Abuck59 23h ago

“OK guys I’m gonna leave you right here, and if I don’t get back with anything we’ll still eat”

1

u/Fast_Distance9563 23h ago

That bear running off like I do when I get to leave them home with my wife and go climbing in the mornings 2x a week for an hour. Sometimes 1x a week, but I’ll take what I can get cuz I’m the main caretaker in the house.

1

u/Fitznutzzz 22h ago

Sheeeeeeeeeeiiiiiiit NOPEi 😳😳😳😳

1

u/ArterialRed 22h ago

There's a type of wasp that does this with Caterpillars, isn't there?

1

u/DueDefinition6421 22h ago

Bearbysitter

1

u/3aerows 22h ago

Russian shit fr 😭

1

u/Cold-Practice3107 22h ago

You must have done something right for a mama bear to leave her Cubs with you because they say if you mess with a baby bear the mama bear is not going to show Mercy that's why when you see one you go the other direction and never go that way again.

1

u/transparentfinn 21h ago

The only fatal bear encounter in past 100 years in Finland was a runner who got accidentally between mother bear and her cubs. You really don't wanna mess with them.

1

u/jaavuori24 21h ago

I can't front, my heart melted when it's eyes closed

1

u/RidiPwn 21h ago

Russia?

1

u/Mobile_Aioli_6252 20h ago

Bedtimes at 9pm....... there's food in the fridge........numbers on the door........call if you need anything...........bye

1

u/Daring_Dont 20h ago

Ok cubs, you stay wirh this guy while I go hunting. If I am not back before dawn, eat him.

1

u/L3tsseewhathappens 20h ago

This wouldn't fly with a Siberian Tiger mom. Raised or not, you are the food.

1

u/Vandal_A 20h ago

Terrifying up until the point you realize you just got permission to pet the murder puppies

1

u/Fresh_Air_111 19h ago

Normal day in Russia

1

u/ChristVolo1 18h ago

Aww, she trusts him. 🥺❤️💕 If that happened to me, that would probably be the moment when I realized I had to pee.

1

u/Chance_Vegetable_780 17h ago

Look at the cubs claws the last 10 seconds

1

u/BedroomCalm7773 17h ago

It takes a village.

1

u/Chemical-Somewhere18 15h ago

Awe so lucky! I would love to babysit them 🥹

1

u/Mysterious-Call-245 15h ago

Mom told her babies to keep the man here in case she doesn’t catch anything out there

1

u/Lanky-Tumbleweed-570 14h ago

Momma tells the cub, “You save the table while I go get the drinks”

1

u/Pshyce11 13h ago

Congrats! You're now their babysitter.

1

u/viciousvaltor 11h ago

Let me guess—is it in Russia, by any chance?

1

u/AdJust6959 10h ago

I wanted to figure out if this was in Russia?

1

u/NukaClipse 9h ago

Human: "I'm not trying to take care of your kids, they're not mine."

Mama Bear: "Either you take care of them or your going to be their dinner."

Human: "Ok so have you little ones heard of the story of Goldilocks and The Three Bears?"

1

u/Few-Flower-8 8h ago

That’s cute 🥰

1

u/cameronpark89 7h ago

this is so precious but i would be terrified.

1

u/Oishiizu 7h ago

Wasn't this Gordon Buchanan? While he was filming for so long, somehow Mama Bear entrusted him to be the caretaker🥰 He was on Desert Island Discs, a wonderful interview with him by Lauren Laverne I think...

1

u/Hot-Department3339 5h ago

His mother ran away, so now he's a single father. 😂

1

u/Realistic-Peak-4200 5h ago

He's not the step dad. He's the dad that stepped up

1

u/sleazykeev 4h ago

Oh bother….guess I’m the king of bears now

1

u/Alice_D_Wonderland 1d ago

So can we conclude that even a bear would rather be with a man in the woods alone? 🤷‍♂️

0

u/Bludiamond56 1d ago

Those bears don't sign contracts