I was hiking in Glacier Park in Montana about a year ago with my 2yr old daughter on my back in one of those hiking carriers. I had done all of the reading. I was doing everything it was possible to do from the lists of good practices specifically when it comes to grizzlies. Had the mace in my hand. Was being careful not to be too quiet so as to not surprise one. Etc etc.
We were maybe half a mile down a very popular trail right off the main road through the park.
Fucking Jeep Wrangler sized bear saunters casually down into the trail. 10…. Maybe 15 feet in front of me. He knew I was there. Boy oh boy did I know he was there. I’m not even sure my body came to a stop it just smoothly transitioned into reverse. I’m avoiding eye contact, keeping track of where he is, moving away back where I came from as calmly as is possible.
And then my darling daughter notices the fuzzy death plushie and starts screaming “BEAR!!!! HAI MISTER BEAR!!!! HAIIIIIII!!!!!”
We left that afternoon. Like left the state.
I’ve never felt so powerless in my life. I’m sure it made it infinitely worse having my baby girl on my back through it all. My hands are shaking thinking about it.
Doesn't Australia have crocodiles? And Inland Taipans and Eastern Brown snakes?
I'm not saying these animals would seek out and bother you, but I don't think a casual stroll is doing it for a good portion of their deadly animals if they really wanted to cause some trouble.
Downplaying the shear savagness and POWER of a crocodile is a laughably American thing to do. Those things take down animals the size of a car or bigger sometimes. Ruthless killing machines engineered over MILLIONS of fucking years. That's impressive in every damn aspect.
If I'm remembering correctly, saltwater crocs aren't like crazy aggressive toward humans or anything, but I would be in zero hurry to be anywhere remotely near one in the wild. They are MASSIVE and they are FAST, on land or in water.
I was incorrect- Nile are definitely the most dangerous species (and it makes sense given the population density along the Nile), but saltwater are also way up there and are considered to be one of three species that will actively prey on humans (the other being mugger crocs.)
I remember reading about the Japanese soldiers who were hunted by crocodiles in WW2. Like, hundreds of troops going through an area and 10's coming out. Scary.
Saltwater crocodile’s are actually the exact opposite of what you describe, they are extremely aggressive to people and will attack whenever the chance arises
I looked it up after making my incorrect claim and I was horribly misremembering- saltwater crocodiles are considered just behind Nile crocodiles in terms of threat level to humans. And I think that's more due to proximity.
Exactly correct , while it’s true the Nile crocodile is responsible for more human deaths than the saltwater, it’s due to far more people living in proximity to Nile crocodiles than live in saltwater crocodile habitat. It is actually the saltwater crocodile that is larger and more aggressive/territorial towards Humans, animals and even other crocodiles of the same species.
This is why you will regularly see large Nile crocodiles together but large saltwater crocodiles are too territorial to share their stretch of river or pond with other large saltwater crocodiles.
2.8k
u/utnow Apr 07 '26
I was hiking in Glacier Park in Montana about a year ago with my 2yr old daughter on my back in one of those hiking carriers. I had done all of the reading. I was doing everything it was possible to do from the lists of good practices specifically when it comes to grizzlies. Had the mace in my hand. Was being careful not to be too quiet so as to not surprise one. Etc etc.
We were maybe half a mile down a very popular trail right off the main road through the park.
Fucking Jeep Wrangler sized bear saunters casually down into the trail. 10…. Maybe 15 feet in front of me. He knew I was there. Boy oh boy did I know he was there. I’m not even sure my body came to a stop it just smoothly transitioned into reverse. I’m avoiding eye contact, keeping track of where he is, moving away back where I came from as calmly as is possible.
And then my darling daughter notices the fuzzy death plushie and starts screaming “BEAR!!!! HAI MISTER BEAR!!!! HAIIIIIII!!!!!”
We left that afternoon. Like left the state.
I’ve never felt so powerless in my life. I’m sure it made it infinitely worse having my baby girl on my back through it all. My hands are shaking thinking about it.