British Columbia Camper Repels Bear With Nickelback Karaoke in Woods
Nickelback, British Columbia, and a bewildered black bear collided when a lone camper survived an ursine encounter by belting out “Photograph” at full volume. Wildlife experts, referencing “how to scare off a bear” and “do bears hate loud music,” were left analyzing the bear’s rapid retreat and the camper’s choice of playlist. The woods, usually dominated by birdcalls, briefly echoed with Canadian post-grunge anthems and a bear’s surprise exit.
Echoing Nickelback’s choruses instead of screaming, the camper’s tactic generated an online uproar: Was it the lyrics or volume that repelled the bear? Searches for “can music protect campers from bears” and “odd ways to deter wildlife” surged. Forest rangers reported no prior incidents of animal deterrence via karaoke, adding that the bear’s last known direction was “away from the encore.” The forest remains silent, but local wildlife now prefers jazz.
Local officials confirmed this was the first recorded instance of a black bear fleeing a human performing an entire Nickelback verse, prompting new guidelines on playlist selection for backcountry hikers.
