Uploaded July 2023 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
This footage is public domain, and the raw files are available at archive.org/details/grizzly-bear-selfie ■ An explanation, which is not public domain: youtube.com/watch?v=xq4ZkfojSis ■ Two videos taken by grizzly bears at the Grizzy & Wolf Discovery Center, West Yellowstone, Montana. The bears found a previously-lost GoPro Hero 11 in a protective case, in their pond, which had enough battery left to take a couple of brief shots, including a selfie.
As these video files were created entirely by bears, by accident, I believe them to be in the public domain. If that's not the case, then as the owner of the camera and potential copyright holder, I'm happy to license these files under CC0 and dedicate them to the public domain as far as legally possible.
However, if I don't upload them to YouTube first, then someone else will — and YouTube's copyright systems often get confused by public domain footage, so for my own safety, this is the digital equivalent of sending them to myself in a sealed, postmarked envelope.
YouTube's system the license for this listed as "Creative Commons - Attribution", because "Public Domain" is not an option. You are not required to attribute this footage, but if you do use these files, it'd be nice to make a donation to the Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center. They've got bears to feed. grizzlydiscoveryctr.org
00:00 GX010742.MP4
01:28 GX010743.MP4
This footage is public domain, and the raw files are available at archive.org/details/grizzly-bear-selfie ■ An explanation, which is not public domain: youtube.com/watch?v=xq4ZkfojSis ■ Two videos taken by grizzly bears at the Grizzy & Wolf Discovery Center, West Yellowstone, Montana. The bears found a previously-lost GoPro Hero 11 in a protective case, in their pond, which had enough battery left to take a couple of brief shots, including a selfie.
As these video files were created entirely by bears, by accident, I believe them to be in the public domain. If that's not the case, then as the owner of the camera and potential copyright holder, I'm happy to license these files under CC0 and dedicate them to the public domain as far as legally possible.
However, if I don't upload them to YouTube first, then someone else will — and YouTube's copyright systems often get confused by public domain footage, so for my own safety, this is the digital equivalent of sending them to myself in a sealed, postmarked envelope.
YouTube's system the license for this listed as "Creative Commons - Attribution", because "Public Domain" is not an option. You are not required to attribute this footage, but if you do use these files, it'd be nice to make a donation to the Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center. They've got bears to feed. grizzlydiscoveryctr.org
00:00 GX010742.MP4
01:28 GX010743.MP4
