Pilates Instructor and Dog Flee After Bear Approaches During Workout Video

Imagine enjoying a serene Pilates session at the top of a hill on a sunny summer afternoon while not knowing a big bear is climbing up the slope toward you.

Jessica Gilpin, a 26-year-old Pilates instructor based in Calgary in the Canadian province of Alberta, found herself in this terrifying scenario earlier this summer while looking after a friend's dog named Django.

She was filming a YouTube workout video at the top of a mountain bike practice area in Canmore, a town just at the edge of Banff National Park, when she heard some people yelling at her from a smaller practice area, she told Newsweek.

"I initially thought maybe someone was trying to use the big area where I was," she said. "Turns out, they were warning me about the bear."

Those at the bottom of the hill had a clear view of the bear climbing up the hill's front side.

"I couldn't hear where they were trying to tell me the bear was coming from, just that there was a bear coming up," she said. "The hill was fairly steep" so she couldn't see the bear "until it was literally on top of the hill with me."

The Pilates instructor shared a video of the incident, which took place in late August, from her TikTok account @movemountainspilates, which has received 5.3 million views since it was first posted October 4.

A caption with the post reads: "Wildest experience teaching pilates ever..."

The post was shared just days after a couple and their dog were found after being mauled by a grizzly bear while hiking in a remote area of Banff National Park.

What to Do if You See a Bear in the Wild

Canada's mountain national parks are home to grizzly and black bears. The Canadian government's Parks Canada website says: "You can run into a bear anywhere here, be it on a busy trail close to town or in the remote backcountry. Bears generally prefer to avoid people.

"Although the chances of having an encounter with an aggressive bear are low, proper planning before you head out can help reduce your risk," the website advises.

Make some noise to let the bears know you're there. "Call out, clap, sing or talk loudly especially near streams, dense vegetation and berry patches, on windy days, and in areas of low visibility. Bear bells are not enough," Parks Canada says.

Dogs should be left at home or kept on leashes at all times, as they "can provoke defensive behavior in bears."

When the Bear Is Not Aware of Your Presence

Parks Canada advises trying to move away quietly without getting the bear's attention if it has not noticed your presence.

When the Bear Is Aware of Your Presence

Bears may "bluff their way out" of an encounter, charging ahead before turning away at the last second. They may also react defensively by "woofing, growling, snapping their jaws and laying their ears back," Parks Canada warns.

The website advises doing the following if the bear has spotted you:

• Stay calm. A calm demeanor can reassure the bear, while screams or sudden movements may trigger an attack.
• Speak to the bear, talking calmly and firmly. "This lets the bear know you are human and not a prey animal. If a bear rears on its hind legs and waves its nose about, it is trying to identify you," Parks Canada says.
• Back away slowly and never run, as running may trigger a chase.
• Make yourself appear big, pick up small children and remain in a group.
• Don't drop your backpack because it can provide protection.

When to Use Bear Spray

Parks Canada says it's a good idea to carry bear spray while traveling through the mountain parks, whether you are hiking, picnicking, camping, biking, trail running or paddling.

The website says that bear spray "may reduce your risk of injury if you are in an aggressive encounter with a bear and/or other aggressive wildlife."

However, bear spray should always be used only as "a last resort," and you should first do all you can to avoid a bear encounter, the site says.

'My Heart Was Pounding'

Gilpin said that as soon as she was warned about the bear, she looked around quickly, then unhooked Django from the peg to which she had tied his leash.

"As soon as I got him untied, the bear was up there with me about 15 feet away. He looked to be an adult black bear, so [it was] pretty big."

Gilpin went on: "I wasn't thinking much in the moment, besides 'Wow, I can't believe a bear just interrupted my video, that's crazy.'

"My heart was pounding due to the shock and the sudden close proximity to it, but I knew all I could do was remain calm and walk away," she said.

Leaving her belongings behind to avoid the risk of having the bear moving closer, Gilpin immediately took Django slowly down the side of the hill away from the bear, walking barefoot and "trying to stay calm to not freak the bear out."

"Luckily, the bear didn't seem interested in me, so I had no reason to totally freak out."

She said that "Django is a very well-trained, quiet dog" that never barks. His owner works in fishing lodges as a chef, "so Django is used to being out in the wilderness all the time and has even seen bears before, although I don't think he had ever been so close to one."

Gilpin waited about 10 minutes on the gravel road next to the hill to give the bear "a good amount of time" to head back down into the forest on the other side of the hill.

During that time, she said, she was still shocked at what happened and thought she "should have brought my bear spray, but since I was literally just in town, didn't think to bring it."

When she went back up the hill, her belongings were found untouched. She assumed the bear must have gone down into the forest because "Django was sniffing the trail down there."

While Gilpin has seen bears from afar before, the incident was one of her closest encounters.

"Living out here and going hiking all the time, I've learned that you should stay calm, and slowly walk away to avoid startling the animal," she said. "Most of the time, black bears will just leave people alone, but if they don't, you're supposed to make yourself big and loud to hopefully scare it away and fight back if needed.

"Luckily, I've never had to do that, because I don't think my 5-foot-3-inches self would do much good fighting a bear."

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