An elderly man in British Columbia, Canada, has gone viral after appearing entirely unfazed when a black bear approached within inches of him on a sidewalk. Video of the encounter shows two bystanders across the street warning him about the animal directly behind him, but the man simply dismissed the alerts and continued on his way, only glancing back and quickening his pace as he moved off. The clip highlights how common close bear encounters have become for residents of British Columbia, where sightings and occasional attacks are a recurring seasonal concern.

British Columbia recorded 2,664 black bear sighting calls in July 2026 alone, with conservation officers attending 212 of them and euthanising 39 bears that month, according to government data. The region has seen several more serious incidents recently, including a woman injured in a bear attack near Whistler and a jogger hurt by a black bear near cubs in Squamish, while a grizzly bear attack in Bella Coola last November left 11 people injured, two critically. Experts say climate-driven habitat disruption is pushing bears closer to residential areas, and officials warn that activity typically increases in autumn as bears forage for food ahead of hibernation, often drawn in by improperly secured rubbish and other attractants.