Black bears are interesting creatures. They enjoy the occasional romp in a pool. They destroy your trash if you leave it outside, and occasionally they’re a hiker’s worst nightmare. Just ask Mary Maley.
Maley was on a hiking trip in Alaska when she came across a black bear. In the YouTube video that has since gone viral, Maley is heard from behind the camera pleading to a bear to go away.
“Thank you for leaving my kayak alone. I’m going to pepper-spray you in the face,” Maley tells the bear as it approaches her.
She then sprays the bear.
And the bear is like, “F—k your kayak.”
“Bear, bear. You’re breaking my kayak. Why are you breaking my kayak?” Maley yells.
The bear doesn’t reply, of course. He just continues to Hulk-smash her kayak. For reference, kayaks aren’t cheap. So that’s probably why Maley is crying.
“Bear, gosh darnit,” Maley cries.
As I’m rewatching this video, for the 10th time, I’m in tears. I lost count of the number of times Maley asked the bear to stop. I’ve also lost count of the number of times the bear was like, “Hulk smash.”
As someone who shares her living area with black bears, I’ve had my fair share of run-ins with them. I’ve never had to pull out my pepper spray, and usually a “Go away, bear” works just fine.
Poor kayak. Never stood a chance. Maley better be glad the bear decided to attack the kayak and not her.