The ongoing viral debate sparked by a TikTok question about whether women would feel safer alone in a forest with a random man or a bear has now received input from a wildlife expert, Rae Wynn-Grant.
In the viral video that started the debate, women on the street were asked to choose between being alone in the woods with a bear or an unknown man, and a majority opted for the bear, igniting a larger conversation about female safety.
While this choice drew criticism from some men, Wynn-Grant, a wildlife ecologist specializing in bear biology, provided insight into why the preference for bears might be justified.
Wynn-Grant explained to TMZ that bears typically avoid humans in the wild unless food is involved, highlighting the instinctual avoidance of human contact by these animals.
In contrast, she noted that women often feel constantly under threat when alone with men, making the comparison between time spent with a man versus time spent with a bear significant.
“I think this is a clever way for women to suggest to the wider world, particularly to men, that we, as women, feel constantly under threat,” Wynn-Grant said in a video posted by TMZ.
She further stated that bears are not naturally aggressive and do not seek trouble, contrary to common misconceptions.
The wildlife expert pointed to statistics to support her argument, noting that violence against women from men far outweighs any threat posed by bears.
Therefore, in terms of safety, Wynn-Grant asserted that humans pose a greater risk to females than bears!
“I intentionally try to find myself around bears for the science that I do. And I know, in general, I am safer around a bear than I am a random man,” she stressed.
While her expert insights on the debate is still contentious, Wynn-Grant has contributed to the raging online debate.
