For a brief period on a sunny summer afternoon, a quiet neighbourhood in Rockaway, New Jersey was ground zero for a battle of titans. Two male black bears duked it out right next to residential houses, slipping and sliding across grass and through gardens. The display of raw power in this six minute wrestling match that must be seen to be believed.
The video was apparently captured in August, which is just at the tail end of bear mating season, which generally occurs during June and July. This kind of aggressive behaviour between males is common during mating season, when the bears will pit their 700-pound bodies against each other to impress a potential female.
Kelcey Burguess, a wildlife biologist and black bear specialist explained that “It can be pretty vicious, but it’s normal behavior.” Burguess went on to add that although these kinds of battles are not usually seen outside of a forest, the fighting is not a danger to residents.
That is, unless they want to play referee.
It is wise to be aware of the mating season of some of North America’s larger animals, as it can cause this kind of extreme behaviour. You can learn more by contacting your local fish and wildlife centres for more information.