#AnotherSide: Viral video of cub climbing snowy slope worries experts
The internet was in awe of a video that showed a cub fighting adversities to get to his mother bear on a snowy slope. Everyone lauded the cub's efforts and his determination of not giving up. But there is another side of the story which has troubled wildlife experts, and that is related to drones and how they affect wildlife, National Geographic reports.
Cub tried reaching on top while its mother waited
The video was taken by Dmitry Kedrov during summer. It was captured on Russia's Sea of Okhotsk. The clip, which went widely viral, showed the bear reaching at the top of the slope before her baby. While she waited, the cub made it to the top after numerous unsuccessful attempts. Now experts believe it was the drone which forced the duo to leave their haven.
Here is the video everyone fell in love with
In drone's absence, the duo would have stayed there
A Ph.D. student with the Zoological Society of London wrote on Twitter that the duo took the risk as the drone disturbed them. At one point in the video, you can see the mother swiping the cub, enabling its fall. Clayton Lamb, a University of Alberta researcher who studies grizzly bears, said she must have thought the drone would attack them.
But the one who captured the video feels otherwise
Kedrov, however, rubbished allegations that his drone was hovering too close to the animals. He claimed the zoom effect was added in the editing but his defense didn't strike a chord with many. Mark Ditmer, a wildlife ecologist at Boise State University, said most drones can't carry a heavy camera. He added he could be wrong but it seemed mother acted out of fear.
Another ecologist says it was a UFO for the bear
"From her perspective, it's literally a UFO. She's probably never seen anything like it in her life. She's got a very young cub with her, and of course, her response is going to be fear," said Sophie Gilbert, a wildlife ecologist at the University of Idaho.
Drones affect animals in ways we don't understand
Gilbert added drones are noisy and hinder the normal nature of animals. They can't go about their daily activities like eating or mating, and for some, the instinct is to fight. However, Margarita Mulero-Pázmany, a lecturer in unmanned aerial vehicles at Liverpool John Moores University, said drones shouldn't be demonized. Maragarita felt practices should be developed so people and wildlife are equally benefited.
