Why the Grizzly Man Didn't Survive- Eaten Alive on Camera

Timothy Treadwell was a bear enthusiast. He believed that he'd developed a special bond with a group of Alaskan grizzly bears, right up until the moment they ate him alive. It was the end of a routine expedition in October 2003, when Timothy's girlfriend, Amy, heard him screaming outside their tent. The same grizzlies he had spent the last 13 years getting close to were tearing him apart. And they would soon come for Amy, too. The next day, a pilot was scheduled to pick up Timothy and Amy. But as soon as he arrived at their campsite, it was clear there was no one left to take home. At first, the campsite seemed empty, until the pilot noticed a grizzly gnawing on something unusual, a human ribcage. He slowly backed up and called the park rangers. They examined the grim scene and collected what was then identified as Timothy and Amy's remains. Two bears were killed on the scene, and human remains were later found in their stomachs. During the investigation of this tragic event, authorities discovered something even more chilling than the couple's mauled bodies. Their final moments had been caught on tape. Acclaimed documentary filmmaker Werner Herzog is one of the few people who have listened to the audio. Truly, you must never listen to this. I know, Werner. I'm never going to. Even though it's never been released to the public, there are whispers that it has been leaked to some of the darker corners of the internet. More on that later, because first, we're going to look at what made these grizzlies snap. Okay, maybe you've heard about Tim's passion for bears and how he fiercely advocated for their conservation, speaking publicly against the threats they faced, both real and imaginary. Everything he said in public seemed to be untrue. When Yellowstone, they're trying to delist the bear right now. Really? Yes, and they're going to, as soon as it's delisted from the threatened list, they're going to begin a sport hunt. Just a thrill kill. During his youth, Timothy struggled to fit into human society, dropping out of college and spiraling into alcoholism, drug addiction, and a mismanagement of firearms. At the age of 32, during his first trip to Alaska, an encounter with a grizzly gave him a sense of purpose and belonging that he'd never found among people. He felt he was one of them, and gave up drugs and never touched them again. He started returning every year, documenting his encounters with the massive bears in videos that soon captured the attention of the media and authorities. Without any formal training, he believed that he had a special bond with the bears and that he was part of their society. The bear right next to me is Cracker, and she's enjoying a fish right now. But his interactions with the bears were becoming increasingly reckless. After many warnings and citations, authorities published a new rule in 1998 known as the Treadwell Rule, which stated that campers should move their camp every few days to prevent bears from becoming accustomed to their presence. Timothy didn't accept park regulations quietly. I'm the only protection for these animals out here. The government flying over a grand total of two times in two months. How dare they? How dare they challenge me? How dare they smear me in their campaigns? How dare they? You motherf***** Park Service. Funding his expeditions with donations from Hollywood celebrities and his own appearances in the media, he spent 13 summers living among bears, making his own rules based on his observations of bears and his desire to fit into their groups. For his 2003 expedition, Timothy, now 46 years old, invited his girlfriend Amy to show her the secret world that he believed no one had ever witnessed. By the beginning of October, other campers started to leave Katmai National Park because that's when the bears became more aggressive. But Timothy and Amy decided to stay. Timothy was obsessed with locating his favorite female bear, so they moved their camp to a location where many trails frequently used by bears converged. The camp was also now close to a lake filled with salmon, a magnet for bears, especially as winter hibernation approaches and they're desperately searching for food to gain weight. About 12 noon on October 5, 24 hours before a bush plane was scheduled to pick them up, they called a friend from their satellite phone, and that was the last time anyone spoke to the couple. Evidence found later indicates that it was raining heavily and that Amy was inside the tent preparing snacks when she heard Timothy calling for her from outside. Her first instinct was to turn on the camera, but soon his voice turned into desperate yelling. Amy left the camera recording inside the tent without even removing the lens cap and came out to find a massive 450 kg bear attacking Timothy. He was screaming for help, asking her to hit the bear to scare it away. Amy told him to play dead, but the bear wasn't attacking him out of fear. It was attacking because it was hungry. Realizing that his situation was hopeless, Timothy told Amy to save herself. The couple wasn't carrying any bear spray or any bear deterrent that might have saved their lives. Just minutes after the recording began, Timothy's screams stopped and the tape ran out. No one knows how long Amy stayed alive after Timothy's attack, but both bodies were found 24 hours later by the pilot who was supposed to fly them home. I hear rain and I hear Amy, get away, get away, go away. Can you turn it off? Julie, you must never listen to this. I know, Werner. No one's gonna hear us. Despite this, rumors of the audio being leaked flooded the Internet. Our account is based on the description provided by the National Park Service regarding the incident. According to the authorities, it was Timothy's long-standing reckless behavior and disrespect for the park rules that led to the tragic attack. Especially his choice to camp in a known bear area close to their source of food, and making the bears comfortable with his presence, approaching them, and even touching them. Now, despite this sad story, did you know that grizzlies are not even the deadliest of the bears? There's one species that kills more humans than any other, and you'll probably never guess who it is. Want to find out? Keep watching How to Survive.