Bear vs Gorilla

Kodiak grizzly bears live in Alaska. Silverback gorillas inhabit the forests of central Africa. It is rare for the two to meet in nature, but it can happen.

Migratory Patterns

During hibernation, bears occasionally fall asleep on sheets of floating ice. Ocean currents can carry them across the Bering Sea into northern Russia. They wake up disoriented and continue south in search of warmer temperatures. Confused migratory grizzlies often meander through the "Stans": Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. They continue south past the Middle East into parts of central Africa.

Confrontation

A lost bear is most likely to have an encounter with a large ape in the Congo. When a south-going kodiak crosses paths with a north-going silverback, the results can be violent.

To date, wildlife videographers have only managed to capture one such meeting on film.