Wild Footage of Rock Climber Fighting Off Bear Leaves the Internet Officially Shook

By Sam Mangioni - News Published: 21 Oct 2022, Last Updated: 29 Oct 2023

A rock climber in Japan recently fought off a wild bear while descending a rocky cliff face of Mount Futago. The terrifying encounter was captured on the climber’s GoPro and shared on YouTube in a viral clip that has racked up nearly 2 million views. If you’re looking for an excuse to get out of an outdoor hike this weekend, this is it. Watch the full video clip above.

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https://twitter.com/shannonsharpeee/status/1582068972391780352

Let’s break this down like a sports highlight package on ESPN. The opening sidestep to dodge the charge, and the ability to evade the bear ultimately saved the climber’s life. Smartly, he then manages to keep the high ground and lay down some UFC-worthy hammer fists until the bear admits defeat and scurries away. Due to some quick thinking and balls of steel, both parties were able to walk away and live to tell the story.

“I was attacked by a bear from behind while descending the rocky ridge of Mt. Futago in Chichibu City, Saitama Prefecture, Japan,” the climber said in the video’s description. “Instead of fear, I switched to the feeling that if it was coming, I had no choice but to face it.”

The climber also provided an explanation for why the bear may have acted aggressively. . “Looking back at the video, it seems that the bear attacked me to protect the cub,” the climber said. “I invaded bear territory, but since they attacked me, I defended myself with self-defence.”

While your first instinct when forced into a 1-on-1 with an actual bear might be to run away, the US National Parks Service advises to ‘fight back with everything you have’ if a black bear charges and attacks. “Do not play dead. Direct punches and kicks at the bear’s face, and use any weapon like rocks, branches, or bear spray to defend yourself,” the authority explains.

Two bear species live in Japan: the Asiatic black bear and the brown bear. We can assume that the furry fella in this video was the former, as brown bears are found only on the island of Hokkaido. Weighing up to 200 kilograms (440 pounds), Asiatic bears live primarily in East Asia’s hilly forests and mountains. According to Bear Conservation, they do have a reputation for being particularly aggressive towards humans.

Sam Mangioni

Sam Mangioni is an experienced content producer and the current Entertainment, Culture & Lifestyle Journalist for Man of Many. With an extensive background in digital content production and news, Sam specialises in delivering timely, accurate and witty assessments of current events. Prior to working for Man of Many, Sam spent three years at Southern Cross Austereo where he served as a Content Producer and News Reporter for the flagship Triple M Breakfast Program. The Sydney-based reporter completed a Bachelor of Commerce from Macquarie University Majoring in Marketing in 2014. Sam's work has also featured in Fight News Australia.

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