'OMG!': Polar Bear Surprises Motorists on Manitoba Highway

A trio of colleagues had a work trip to remember in Manitoba on Wednesday, December 7, when a polar bear crossed the highway right in front of them.

Lori Walsh was traveling back to Thompson from Gillam with two colleagues when, much to their surprise, they spotted the bear up ahead on the road.

Walsh told the Thompson Citizen that they spotted the polar bear about 20 minutes after leaving Gillam on Provincial Road 280.

“It was really cool. I think he was observing us the same as we were observing him and then he just kind of went over the snow bank like, ‘See you later,’” Walsh told the Citizen. Credit: Lori Walsh via Storyful

Video Transcript

- Oh, my god.

- We got a polar bear on the frickin' highway. Look at this. Keep going, go faster. O-M-G.

- O-M-G, this is the first time I've seen a polar bear on the Gilliam Road.

- Hi, guy.

- Oh, look at him. Why is he out here?

- Are you OK, Ashley?

- Yeah.

- Ashley is tripping out. Oh, my god.

- Look at him.

- Look, he's like, hi, guys. I guess this is not the time to get out to go pee.

- No.

- No.

- Oh, my god, I'm never peeing on this road again. Holy.

- You have to tell your boyfriend.

- I know. Conservation needs to get the hell out here and deal with this because this is not supposed to happen.

- Oh, my god.

- Hey, we need to find a marker.

- I'm not getting out and marking nothing.

- No, it'll be on the side of the road.

- OK.

- A white--

- Where has he gone?

- A white stick with a black thing on it with a number.

- There he is, he's in the bush. Holy crap.