A man who filmed a bear crashing his picnic on a Vancouver Island beach likely took the right steps to avoid conflict, conservation officers say.
The video, posted to Reddit Tuesday, shows a bear lingering around a rocky beach near Shirley, B.C., west of Sooke.
As the people behind the camera begin to pack up, a man is heard telling the animal to "turn around, bear," while trying to shoo it away.
But the bear begins to inch closer to the beachgoers, who begin to clap their hands while yelling at the bear to try to scare it off.
"Keep yourself up high," the man filming is heard telling the woman with him.
Black bear encounters are nothing unusual on Vancouver Island, and in this case, conservation officials say the couple did the right thing.
"It appears the terrain may not have given an exit away from the bear. The people were relatively calm, packed up made a wide berth and left the area immediately," said conservation officer Richard DeKelver.
He said the bear appeared to be food-conditioned and habituated but did not show any aggression.
"Just likely hoping the people would attempt to feed it or panic and leave food," said DeKelver.
Conservation officers have been working with Shirley residents and other surrounding wilderness areas to make sure they are securing attractants like garbage.
Anyone who encounters a bear is advised to remain calm, back up slowly while keeping as much distance as possible and to make sure the bear has a clear escape route. Trail hikers are advised to make noise by calling, singing, clapping or talking loudly near streams and areas of low visibility so they don't surprise a bear.
The BC Conservation Officer Service asks anyone who has a run-in with an aggressive or threatening bear to report it to them by calling 1-877-952-7277.
