When you’re filming wildlife in some of the most extreme parts of the world, moments of danger come with the territory.
But nothing could have prepared me for the day I found myself face-to-face with one of the world’s most powerful predators—a polar bear.
It was a quiet moment in the Arctic wilderness when the bear appeared.
Standing just a few paces from me, she was towering on her hind legs.
Her coal-black nose and jet-black eyes were fixed on me as she sniffed the air, gathering information about her surroundings.
She was huge, and more importantly, she was hungry.
To her, I was nothing more than a potential meal.
The Unexpected Attack
As I stood there, the heart-pounding reality set in.
The bear wasn’t interested in seals at that moment—she was interested in me.
The adrenaline kicked in as I realized how quickly this could turn into a life-or-death situation.
In an instant, the bear lunged towards me.
With over 30 years of experience filming wildlife for the BBC, I knew all too well the dangers that come with working so closely with large animals.
Yet, I was still far more likely to be hurt by something else—like a car accident—than a predator in the wild. But this encounter was different.
Filming in Extreme Conditions
Our journey took us to Svalbard, Norway, where we were tasked with filming a three-part documentary, The Polar Bear Family And Me.
We arrived in early spring, with the islands blanketed in thick snow drifts, ready to brave the harsh cold of the Arctic Circle.
This remote region, home to one of the densest populations of polar bears, was also experiencing changes in its ecosystem, leading these magnificent animals to become more desperate for food.
With the ice floes fragmenting, polar bears were finding it harder to catch seals.
So, they had to adapt, seeking out animal carcasses, eggs, and even berries—though none of these were anywhere near as satisfying as a blubbery seal. That’s when we realized the danger.
If they couldn’t find seals, they might turn to other sources of food, like us.
The Ice Cube: A Unique Protection
Aware of the risks, our team had designed a protective “Ice Cube” to keep me safe while filming.
This Perspex box, reinforced with aluminium, was supposed to shield me from the polar bears’ curiosity and power.
The idea was to maintain a safe distance while capturing natural behavior with a long lens.
At first, I wasn’t sure about the Ice Cube.
I feared it might topple into an ice hole or that the cold might make the Perspex brittle. But our team tested it, and it held up.
The plan was simple: set up the Ice Cube near a seal’s breathing hole and wait for a bear to arrive. But the bear had other plans.
A Polar Bear’s Persistence
When the polar bear arrived, she ignored the seal’s hole and made a beeline straight for me.
This wasn’t how things were supposed to go.
The bear started sniffing around the gap in the Ice Cube door before launching her first attack.
With each powerful blow, the Cube rocked back and forth. I checked the lock. Was the door secure?
As the bear continued to pry at the Cube, using her claws and teeth to try to break in, I couldn’t help but feel the immense power she was capable of.
She was 7 feet tall, weighing around 500kg, and she was determined.
It was terrifying, but at the same time, there was awe in witnessing the strength of this apex predator.
The Struggle to Survive
The bear’s assault was relentless.
She shook the Cube, clawed at it, and even climbed on top of it.
It was a terrifying wait, unsure whether the Cube would hold or crack under her force.
Each hit was a reminder of how close I was to disaster.
Would the bear be able to break in? Would I survive this terrifying encounter?
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, something shifted in my favor.
The bear, exhausted from her efforts, began to lose interest.
She sat down in the snow, perhaps realizing that breaking through the Cube wasn’t worth the energy.
After giving me one last glance, she slowly wandered off, leaving me shaken but alive.
The Power of Focus and Calm
In the aftermath of that terrifying experience, I’ve often been asked how I managed to stay calm.
The truth is, I was terrified. But by focusing on my work and continuing to film, I kept myself grounded.
In the face of imminent danger, I knew that losing control would only make things worse.
It was a survival strategy, and in the end, it worked.
That polar bear encounter will stay with me forever, but I’m also grateful for the opportunity to capture such an extraordinary moment on film.
I know that I’ll never forget the raw power of that bear and the chilling feeling of knowing I was just a heartbeat away from being her next meal.
This terrifying yet awe-inspiring experience has become a part of my story, and I now look back on it with a mixture of gratitude and disbelief.
If that bear had managed to break through, I wouldn’t be here to tell this tale.
Adapted from In The Hide: How The Natural World Saved My Life by Gordon Buchanan, published by Witness Books on February 6, 2025.
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