Stewart was filming an episode called “Patagonia Pumas,” so the encounter was not a surprise. However, despite his calm composure and jokes about the puma eating his snacks, you can tell Stewart is a little uncomfortable with how close the animal is.  

Stewart says he and his team were filming this puma in Patagonia’s Torres del Paine National Park when it began to follow them.

“It’s vital the national park is protected, and it’s always a privilege to be able to shine a small spotlight on these wild places and hopefully add to the massive list of reasons why humans need to protect the natural world as best as possible,” wrote Stewart on his post on Instagram.

Many also refer to pumas as cougars and mountain lions in the U.S. The animal lives in both North and South America. In the U.S., the animal’s range includes many states west of the Mississippi River.

The post WATCH: Wildlife Photographer Keeps His Cool While Puma Stalks Him appeared first on Outdoors with Bear Grylls.

The Everglades are known for being jam-packed with alligators. It’s also the only place in the world where you can find alligators and crocodiles. 

The Miami-Dade Fire Rescue says they were called in to assist the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office due to the pilot’s remote location. In a social media post, rescue crews say the area is only accessible by aircraft.

Multiple media reports say the pilot crashed around 4:00 a.m. The rescue didn’t happen until 10:00 a.m. The rescue crew used the helicopter’s hoist to pull the pilot to safety. 

The pilot is said to be okay with only minor injuries.

Alligators vs. Crocodiles

Visitors to Everglades National Park have the opportunity to see both alligators and crocodiles. Telling the two animals apart is easier than you think. Alligators have wider snouts and teeth that rest inside their mouths. In comparison, crocodiles have long, skinny snouts and exposed teeth. Alligators are way more common in the Everglades and are generally less aggressive than crocodiles. 

Wildlife experts say the best way to stay safe from alligators is to keep a safe distance. If one does charge you, don’t bother running in a zigzag. That’s mostly a myth. Running away in a straight line will put the greatest distance between you and the animal.

The post Later, Gators: Pilot Survives Crash but Lands in Remote, Alligator Infested Swamp – Watch the Rescue Footage appeared first on Outdoors with Bear Grylls.

In the video, the animal grabs the deer’s neck and drags it to the ground. Although some find the video unsettling, it’s a prime example of nature.

The response to the video, which was posted on the @natureismetal Instagram account, was less about people being upset about the deer – but rather a debate erupted around whether the predator was a wolf or coyote.

What animal do you think it is? Check out the video below:

Wold of Coyote? An Expert Assessment from Voyageurs National Park

Those arguing that it’s a wolf suggest the animal looks too large for a coyote and mention the shape of its head. Others believe it could be a “coywolf,” which is a wolf and coyote hybrid. The video is from Alberta, Canada, where you can find both animals.

Outdoors.com skipped the pseudo-online experts and asked an actual wolf researcher for his opinion. 

Thomas Gable is the lead researcher who runs the Voyageurs Wolf Project. He and his team track wolves around Voyageurs National Park in northern Minnesota to better understand their habits. Gable knows a lot about wolves.

He says while the video is far enough away to be ambiguous enough for a debate, he’s quite sure it’s a coyote.

“My impression is that it is a coyote and not a wolf. Of course, the animal is a fair bit away from the camera, so it’s hard to tell with 100% certainty, but I would say I am 98% confident that is a coyote,” wrote Gable in an email this morning.

Check out this other viral video to see how large wolves are.

The post Is it a Wolf or a Coyote? Wildlife Expert Weighs in on Divisive Viral Video appeared first on Outdoors with Bear Grylls.

The clip shows climber Giacomo Mauri working on a pitch when a massive amount of ice gives way. Fortunately, Mauri stays clear of the ice. However, the large chunk does snag his ice axes as it smashes to the ground. In a reply to a comment, Mauri says he did recover one of the axes.

Still interested in ice climbing?

You can find ice climbing routes in places from Pennsylvania to the Pacific Northwest and in some national parks like Rocky Mountain and Glacier.

Here’s a look at all the gear you need to get started.

The post Have You Always Wanted to Give Ice Climbing A Try? This Scary Clip May Change Your Mind appeared first on Outdoors with Bear Grylls.

The initial incident happened late Monday night at the St. Regis Aspen Resort. Reports say a security guard investigated after reports of a bear in the hotel’s kitchen. 

In the video, the bear is seen roaming around the kitchen, followed by the security guard shortly afterward. Moments later, the bear is startled and lunges at the security guard, who is knocked to the ground. Fortunately, the security guard escapes from the bear and calls 911.

An ambulance transported the security guard to a nearby hospital for scratches on his back, but he was released shortly later. 

Colorado Parks & Wildlife say their agency, the Aspen Police Department and the Pitkin County Sheriff’s Office, tracked the bear down less than 48 hours later on Wednesday morning. After hazing the animal up a tree, they used a tranquilizer gun to capture the bear. 

Officials used the security footage to identify the bear with its white markings. Due to the bear’s aggressive nature, CPW euthanized the animal.

“During our initial investigation we gathered witness statements along with photos and videos from hotel security cameras,” said Matt Yamashita, Area Wildlife Manager, in a press release. “All played an important part in our investigation. Using the footage provided by the hotel, we were able to confirm the aggressive behavior of the bear and identify unique physical characteristics of the bear that assisted in the proper identification of the offending bear.”

Wildlife officials say most incidents involving bears and aggressive behavior happen in the fall while bears are preparing to hibernate. The animal’s drive for food will lead them to new extremes.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife officials estimate the state has between 17,000 and 20,000 bears. Wildlife managers occasionally need to euthanize bears for one of three reasons:

• Dangerous Bears – Animals that pose an immediate threat to human safety, as there was in this Aspen bear attack.
• Depredating Bears – Bears that have killed or injured livestock, or pose another threat to agricultural products.
• Repeat Nuisance Bears – These bears pose an immediate threat or damage to property but not public safety. Wildlife officials will often try to relocate these bears first. 

Learn more about bear safety.

The post Colorado Park Rangers Use Video to Identify and Euthanize ‘Aggressive’ Bear After Hotel Kitchen Attack  appeared first on Outdoors with Bear Grylls.

Molly Carlson is part of Canada’s high dive team and has placed second in the 2022 Red Bull Cliff Dive World Series. The massive falls these athletes take can look painful—and, in reality, they can be. 

Carlson says a high diver can hit 100 KPH during their fall, equal to 60 miles per hour. Doing multiple reps of these dives risks injury. Carlson says instead of repeatedly diving, she mentally prepares by visualizing the dive.

“Many research studies have shown that the more you can visualize yourself doing something in a certain environment successfully, the more you actually train your muscles to know exactly what to do,” wrote Carlson in a recent Instagram post. “Next time you’re scared to try something, try to imagine yourself nailing it first.”

Carlson’s idea isn’t just a theory. There’s plenty of science behind it. A Harvard medical professor says visualizing helps stimulate the motor cortex, the part of the brain that controls our movement.

The post Imagine Falling at 60 MPH? High Divers Make That Plunge All the Time appeared first on Outdoors with Bear Grylls.

Practicing for Red Bull Rampage isn’t easy, but according to some in the mountain bike community, a trail known as King Kong is the destination. Mountain biker and popular social media user Christian Peper headed to the Virgin, Utah trail for a ride.

In the video, Peper and others go over their handlebars and dodge rocks after big drops. Peper says the area is known for breaking femurs and other painful collisions between people and the ground. 

The trail is rough enough that even popular mountain bike trail apps avoid mentioning it (we checked but couldn’t find it). However, plenty of details exist online, so this trail is a real destination. 

Would you try riding this trail?

The post Check out This Painfully Scary Trail Used to Practice for Red Bull Rampage appeared first on Outdoors with Bear Grylls.

Instagram user @jonfromupstairs recently added his video as a reel after seeing others share it without permission.

In the video, a massive avalanche crashes down Crystal Mountain in Washington State. The wall of snow consumes everything in its path.

No one was hurt in this video. However, five people died last year in Oregon and Washington from avalanches.

Whether skiing, snowboarding, or snowshoeing, anyone going into the backcountry in the winter should have proper avalanche training. The National Avalanche Center has more information on avalanche classes and offers daily forecasts on avalanche risk.

The post This Terrifying Video Captures the True Power of an Avalanche appeared first on Outdoors with Bear Grylls.

Shawna Solar is a sponsored angler in Canada who shares her fishing posts. Recently, she got an unexpected surprise when a mink popped out of the water and tried to snag the trout she’d just caught.

“As I was giving this gorgeous tiger some time in the net after the fight, this friken (sic) mink swam up and literally tried to take my first ever tiger trout I caught on the fly,” Solar wrote on her post. “Not today.”

Eventually, the mink gives up and swims away. 

These small ferret-like animals live in wetlands along streams and rivers and are excellent swimmers.

While some commenters asked why Solar didn’t share with the tiny guy, it’s important to remember that feeding wildlife can cause them harm by teaching them to associate humans with food. This habituation is dangerous for both people and animals. 

Need some new fishing gear? Check out the Outdoors.com store.

The post WATCH: Hilariously Lazy Mink Tries to Steal Trout out of a Fishing Net appeared first on Outdoors with Bear Grylls.

In the video, the snow goes from waist to chest high, and the light powder covers Townsend occasionally as he makes his way downhill. For many, the winter of 2023 was a skier’s dream, and this is a prime example of what a handful of expert-level athletes got to experience.

Responses included:

“A very high bar was set. Fingers crossed for a repeat.”

“No such thing as too much snow.”

“Would someone dare say this is too much pow?”

Last winter brought record snow to places like California, which saw ski resorts open until August. The extended snow season happened despite the record-breaking heat of this past summer.

California experienced its second snowiest winter on record, with more than 56 feet of snow record in the Sierra Nevada. Colorado also experienced an above-average snowfall and recorded the 19th snowiest winter on record.

Weather forecasters believe an El Nino weather effect will bring warmer temperatures for the upcoming year. Places like the Mountain West and West Coast will also see above-average precipitation. However, it’s hard to predict snowfall this far out.

With more snow, there’s always an increased risk of an avalanche. Here’s some expert advice on how to keep yourself safe while backcountry skiing or snowboarding.

The post ‘No Such Thing as Too Much Snow’: This New Video From Cody Townsend Will Get You Psyched for the 2024 Ski Season appeared first on Outdoors with Bear Grylls.