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Title Bear Aware
:08 girl [girl typing] OMG, I'm so bored. What's going on this weekend? I need to get
out of the city. Maybe take a hike somewhere. Somewhere like...Banff.
:23 girl [dreaming] Somewhere where the sun kisses the grass and the wind blesses the
trees. Yes, that's it. That's perfect.
:32 [thunder storm] But what about bears?
:36 girl [wakes up] Geez, maybe hiking in Banff isn't such a good idea after all.
:43 girl [parks staff appears] What the?
:44 parks staff Well hello there friend
:45 girl Who are you and how did you get in here?
:48 parks staff That's not important. What's important is that you realize that traveling
in bear country can be safe and fun as long as you take some simple steps.
:57 girl Uh huh, like what? Running for your life?
1:00 parks staff No, in fact maybe we should start with what you shouldn't do when
traveling in bear country.
1:10 narrator [people approaching real bear] Never approach a bear
1:10 text DO NOT ATTEMPT
1:15 parks staff That one's pretty self-explanatory. Bears are wild animals and need their space. If you see a bear in the distance, leave it be.
1:28 Narrator [hikers hiking along trail] Don't run away
1:28 text DO NOT ATTEMPT
1:35 parks staff If you run from a bear, that can trigger a chase response, and bears can run much faster than humans.
1:43 Narrator [bells ringing] Bear bells are ineffective.
1:43 text DO NOT ATTEMPT
1:54 parks staff Bear bells do no make enough noise to warn bears of your presence, but they do drive other hikers homicidal.
1:57 Narrator [people out of their cars looking at wildlife] If you see a bear, never leave your car.
1:57 text DO NOT ATTEMPT
2:04 parks staff No only are you entering the bear's space, but you're also getting out of your car and getting out onto the highway. And remember, way more people die because of cars than bears.
2:15 girl Wow, so is there anything I CAN do?
2:18 parks staff [snaps fingers] Of course
2:20 music OK, let's go! When you're hiking in the woods, away from towns and neighbourhoods, there are some things you should do, that'll really do some good. Make noise - sha la-la-la. Make noise sha la-la-la. Make noise sh la-la-la. Say "bears" sha la-la-la. Say "BEARS"!
2:48 parks staff Here's what you do when hiking in bear country: make noise, travel in groups and look out for bear signs while on the trail. But most important of all, have fun! Ha ha ha.
3:00 girl Wow Parks Genie you sure can dance.
3:01 parks staff Parks Genie? Lady my name is...actually...yeah, yeah, parks genie!
3:08 girl So what if I make noise and do all those good things, but I still see a bear. What then?
3:14 parks staff That's a great question. And to find out, let's ask a bear.
3:18 girl [parks staff snaps finger] Ask a bear? But how?
3:22 bear [in costume] If you see a me along the trail, don't run and scream, or shout and wail. Stay real calm, calm and quiet. I might get spooked, if you start a riot. Do your best to back away. Leave the area and hike another day. But I might growl or snap my jaws, or maybe even do a bluff charge, ha ha ha.
3:49 girl What's a bluff charge?
3:50 parks staff A bluff charge is when a bear runs straight at you but stops just short. This is an intimidation tactic often seen during a defensive situation.
4:00 girl Yikes!
4:01 bear [in costume] Don't you worry. Don't you fret, if I bluff charge, I haven't got you yet. Stand your ground, don't play dead. Or blast some bear spray at my head.
4:13 girl Bear spray? Is that like bug spray?
4:16 parks staff No! Not at all! Don't use bear spray like bug repellant, in fact you only spray it at the bear at close range at its head
4:25 girl Does it kill them?
4:26 parks staff Well, let's ask the bear.
4:27 girl Uh, mister bear?
4:29 bear [in costume] Hello, bonjour
4:32 girl Does bear spray hurt?
4:33 bear [in costume] Guaranteed. If you use it properly and aim for my nose. You'll make me feel pretty uncomfortable for about 45 minutes.
4:44 girl What if you miss or you don't have any bear spray though?
4:46 bear [in costume] Stand your ground. If I make contact, play dead. At least at first. If a bear is still investigating your body after a couple of minutes, a defensive situation is becoming predatory. So fight back with everything you've got
5:01 girl Following these instructions will keep me safe?
5:03 parks staff Yes, at the very least it will help you escape the situation.
5:07 girl [pushing parks staff away] Speaking of situations I'd like to escape.
5:11 parks staff Now you know what to do to stay safe in bear country.
5:14 girl Yep. Don't approach, make noise and watch for bear sign when walking and use bear spray or play dead if you're in an encouter.
5:23 parks staff [snaps fingers and disappears] You got it!
5:27 girl [finds calling card in place of parks staff] What?
5:31 text on calling card Parks Canada Genie
5:35 girl [rips up calling card and returns to computer work]

Banff National Park - Be Bear Aware

View video in MPG format

Hiking in Banff National Park can be a magical experience, but there are some things you should know before heading out on the trail. Learn some handy tools for your trip into Banff National Park or in any area where bears live. This entertaining guide will provide some of the Do’s and Don’ts to keep you safe.

Office girl: Louise Tang
Parks Genie: Ryan Bray
Bear: Dan Mcroberts

Executive Producer: Chris Fuoco
Director: Adam Greenberg
Screenplay: Adam Greenberg and Dan McRoberts
Editing: Francois Pelletier
Videography: Adam Greenberg
Sound Engineer: Francois Pelletier
Translation: Amélie Rivera
Subtitles: Ray Schmidt
Music performed by: Ryan Bray and Phil Nugent
Special Thanks: Steve Michel