Yellowstone hiker uses bear spray to deter stalking wolf

A hiker in Yellowstone National Park was forced to use bear spray to deter a wolf that followed him along the Lamar River Trail for several minutes. The incident, captured on video by witness Deric Smith, shows a young wolf walking closely alongside the hiker, Ignazio Zanin, in broad daylight—a rare occurrence for the species.

While the wolf did not attack, the hiker deployed the spray to create distance. The National Park Service notes that Yellowstone contains the largest concentration of mammals in the lower 48 states, including significant populations of predators such as wolves, grizzly bears, and mountain lions, leading to occasional close encounters between humans and wildlife.