Bear Anatomy

[brotherbear]

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Sylvie McKenzie said she was driving along a highway a few kilometres west of Jasper when she noticed two bears running along the road ahead.She said she slowed down to let the bears cross the road, but only the female bear did so.


The second bear – a male – simply stopped and stared at her.

McKenzie said she then started driving, putting her car between the two bears.

Sylvie McKenzie
Asked whether she has any advice for drivers caught in the same situation in the future, McKenzie had simple advice: 'Stop, turn around, wait for a few minutes and go back.' (CBC)

"The male didn't like it at all, so he decided to take his feet, charge and hit my car with his two front paws," she said. "[He] just came and pounced on my car with full force and full speed."

McKenzie said the car rocked violently when the bear hit it, giving her a close-up view of the bear’s face.

"I could see his teeth, the drool on his face. I tried to speed up and put my foot on the gas pedal to get away as fast as I could."

Later, she found grizzly prints all over the side of her car, along with two big dents and several scratches.
It seem that carpal bone have a high resistance to mechanical deformation. Grizzly bear front paws are surprisingly heavy,maybe due to massive carpal bones?

This is the most accurate description of the striking ability IMHO:
"...The attack of a Bear is usually sudden and rapid, and he either tries to deal his opponent a blow with a forepaw by executing a rapid and violent movement to the side ,or he quickly trots up to his enemy ,suddenly lift himself on his hind-legs in the immediate proximity of his foe whom he tries to knock down with a violent stroke of the front-paw,or else he deals him a sound blow and gives him a quick bite..."
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