Terrifying Video Shows Polar Bear Attempting to Break Through Glass to Attack Videographer

A BBC videographer had a terrifying few minutes as a hungry and aggressive polar bear attempted to break through the glass pod protecting him from certain death.

The incident happened when filmmaker Gordon Buchanan was filming polar bears in Canada back in 2013 for a BBC series, though it's resurfaced as he heads out to film another series in which he attempts to gain the trust of a polar bear family to follow their daily lives over the course of the year. Buchanan is initially outside the safety container, when he notices a bear that appears to be stalking him, at which point he quickly retreats and closes the door. As you watch the video, you'll notice the container isn't airtight either; there's a moment when the bear finds a small seam and sticks both its nose and paw into it, just a few inches from Buchanan's body. You can see him instinctively shove himself against the other side of the small pod to get away. Thankfully, the seam was too small for the bear to be able to cause any harm. Hopefully, Buchanan will exercise extreme caution as he continues on his latest filmmaking adventure with these dangerous animals.

Alex Cooke's picture

Alex Cooke is a Cleveland-based portrait, events, and landscape photographer. He holds an M.S. in Applied Mathematics and a doctorate in Music Composition. He is also an avid equestrian.

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22 Comments

I assume that his little perspex box comes with a bucket and a spare pair of trousers. Can't believe how calm he stayed.

This video proves a box-lunch is best preserved by being well sealed.

There was a seal? I only saw a polar bear.

Loose seal!

I want to know who gets out and squeegees the plastic?

Absolutely nuts just to film the might polar bear.

Well since he stayed so calm, I went ahead and shit my pants while watching.

Headline: "Man Takes Selfie Whlist Being Attacked by Verocious Man Eating Bear"

Haha, joking. :D

He is extremely lucky that the bear did not push him in his pod into the water. That would have left him a choice of freezing and drowning in the pod or being eaten.

Its a floatable pod.

Surely that was said in jest... With all the holes/vents and the metal framing, that thing would sink in seconds.

Mmm, crunchy on the outside, chewy in the inside! (Larson)

This is very funny.
The first time I watched this video was with the sound off. And all I saw was a bear that was curious for a strange construction in a world of snow and a guy that probably smelled interesting. Nothing aggressive about it.
With sound on it is a completely different story with a lot of spooky music at the right moments and the guy's comments.
And then they took the only frame the bear has its mouth wide open as a still :)

Smoke in mirrors.

I feel the same way when I have to use a hand can opener.

Camera Cowboys....I despise this macho breed of shooter as they tend to be doing things for notoriety rather than as part of the craft.

and actually, he was pretty safe. There was both somebody sitting on a snowmobile close by and the ship can be seen in the background.

Yikes!

lies, all lies - the bear merely wanted to show off his new dentures.

Bear: ooohh is that a new camera?

"Her best bet would be to get her full weight on top of it, just like she does when she's breaking into seal lairs and push."

[bear promptly starts going towards the top]

The bear just hate click bait. ;-)