Latest news with #HelpAlbertaWildiesSociety
USA Today
4 days ago
- General
- USA Today
Wild horses try to outrun grizzly bear, and not all of them succeed
Wild horses on the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains in Alberta, Canada, are under threat of attack each spring and summer by grizzly bears. It's especially true of foals, which are younger, weaker, and slower than adult horses. The accompanying trail-cam footage, courtesy of the Help Alberta Wildies Society, might sadden viewers when they learn that one of the foals was likely caught by the bear. (Click here if the video doesn't appear below.) The fleeing horses enter the frame at 32 seconds. The bear's capture of the foal is not shown, but HAWS later explained that the third foal shown in the footage has not been seen since the June 20 chase. 'I believe this is the day we lost Benji,' HAWS stated. HAWS, which strives to protect wild horses in the region, has a passionate social-media audience and some followers are emotionally attached to animals that regularly appear in trail-cam footage. ALSO: Tense moments in Yellowstone as German Shepherd leaps from vehicle to chase wolf The top comment on the post announcing that Benji had been lost: 'Poor little buggar! Gets mugged by mares in his herd, and then ends up bear food. Not a fun time for the short life of this baby.' The top reply, which alludes to the mares' rough treatment of the foal in a previous video: 'My heart hurts for precious little Benji. I think he stole it when I saw the mares being mean to him in the first hours of his short life. I wanted to snatch him up and bring him home right then.' HAWS has featured lots of footage showing bears chasing wild horses, repeatedly countering an old argument by the Alberta government that the horses have no natural predators.
Yahoo
04-02-2025
- General
- Yahoo
As grizzly bear tries to rip camera from tree, thoughts turn to horses
A group that supports the conservation of wild horses in Alberta, Canada, has shared footage from last July, showing a grizzly bear cub's prolonged assault on a trail camera fixed to a tree. 'Another few weeks and we can start watching for tracks as these guys wake up come out looking for something to eat,' Help Alberta Wildies Society stated Sunday via Facebook. 'This cub was totally committed to getting our camera off of that tree.' While the cub seemed intent on claiming a new toy, many HAWS followers expressed concern about the threat grizzly bears pose for the region's free-roaming horses. (Click here to view the footage if a video player doesn't appear below.) Another few weeks and we can start watching for tracks as these guys wake up come out looking for something to eat. This cub was totally committed to getting our camera off of that tree. Posted by Help Alberta Wildies Society on Sunday, February 2, 2025 'Prayers for all the horses and their babies on the way,' reads the top comment. To be sure, when grizzly bears emerge from hibernation on the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains in Alberta, wild horses, especially foals, will be on the menu. HAWS cameras have captured several scenes showing bears chasing horses. One of the more dramatic scenes was captured in May 2022, showing horses running for their lives with a grizzly bear perhaps 40 yards behind charging at full sprint. In its description, HAWS wrote: 'The next time someone tells you that the Wild Horses have no natural predators, send them to me. We are losing a lot of horses this year, sooner and quicker than in past years. Not just the foals. Adults also.' This article originally appeared on For The Win: As grizzly bear tries to rip camera from tree, thoughts turn to horses
USA Today
04-02-2025
- General
- USA Today
Grizzly bear trail-cam footage heightens concern for wild horses
A group that supports the conservation of wild horses in Alberta, Canada, has shared footage from last July, showing a grizzly bear cub's prolonged assault on a trail camera fixed to a tree. 'Another few weeks and we can start watching for tracks as these guys wake up come out looking for something to eat,' Help Alberta Wildies Society stated Sunday via Facebook. 'This cub was totally committed to getting our camera off of that tree.' While the cub seemed intent on claiming a new toy, many HAWS followers expressed concern about the threat grizzly bears pose for the region's free-roaming horses. (Click here to view the footage if a video player doesn't appear below.) 'Prayers for all the horses and their babies on the way,' reads the top comment. To be sure, when grizzly bears emerge from hibernation on the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains in Alberta, wild horses, especially foals, will be on the menu. HAWS cameras have captured several scenes showing bears chasing horses. One of the more dramatic scenes was captured in May 2022, showing horses running for their lives with a grizzly bear perhaps 40 yards behind charging at full sprint. In its description, HAWS wrote: 'The next time someone tells you that the Wild Horses have no natural predators, send them to me. We are losing a lot of horses this year, sooner and quicker than in past years. Not just the foals. Adults also.'
