VIDEO: Grizzly Charges Whole Herd of Elk

A while ago we showed you the grisly video (pun intended) of a grizzly bear battling - and killing - an elk in the Yellowstone River. It was as dramatic a piece of footage as we've ever seen, and a stunning demonstration of the power of a grizzly bear. 

But in case you were Team Elk on that video and were disappointed to find the bear won, here is a video, also filmed in Yellowstone National Park, in which the bear doesn't win. Go Team Elk!

Although watching this footage, you get the sense that maybe the bear is playing more than seriously pursuing its quarry. But it sure does look like fun. 

The bear discovers a large herd of elk grazing on a hillside. The assembled tourists (and as usual, there's a big crowd) notice the bear's distant form as it alternates between sprinting down the hill at the elk and hiding stealthily. One moment the bear is tearing down the hillside like a runaway train, and the next it has disappeared. And all the while, of course, the tourists grow more agitated. 

The video was shot in the early summer season, when elk must be especially vigilant to protect their calves from predators, including bears. And while it is not uncommon to find bears isolating and killing single elk, it is rarer to see them chasing whole herds. But again, the bear might be having a bit of fun -- bears are notoriously playful. 

That having been said, I wouldn't want to be the slowest elk in that herd.

Watch the video below, and leave a comment if you've ever observed similar behavior!