The last words of documentary maker Timothy Treadwell and his girlfriend, Amie Huguenard, were captured on camera as they were tragically eaten alive by bears.
On October 5, 2003, the lives of Treadwell and Huguenard came to a devastating end due to a grizzly bear attack, an event chillingly caught on tape.
Their terrified screams in their last minutes on Earth were recorded, highlighting the brutal reality that even as humans, who often see themselves as the dominant species, some still seek a deeper connection with the wild.
Over the years, many have learned the hard way that nature can be unforgiving. Roy Horn's life was changed forever when he was nearly killed by a tiger during a live show; Bruno Zehnder was killed while living among penguins in Antarctica; and Steve Irwin died during a documentary shoot with stingrays. Yet, Timothy Treadwell's story remains one of the most horrifying cautionary tales.
Treadwell, known as the ‘Grizzly Man’, dedicated his life to environmentalism and documenting the grizzly bears of Alaska’s Katmai National Park.
He named the bears and considered them friends, finding solace in the wilderness after battling addiction and alcoholism. For 13 consecutive summers, starting in the late 1980s, Treadwell camped along the Katmai Coast, spending time in 'Big Green' for bear sightings and the densely wooded ‘Grizzly Maze’ for closer encounters.
Despite warnings from park authorities, Treadwell’s interactions with the bears were often risky. He continued his dangerous pursuit, ultimately leading to his tragic death in October 2003, The Mirror reports.
Camping in the Grizzly Maze beyond the usual season, Treadwell and Huguenard encountered a bear during its aggressive feeding period. The peril was compounded by Treadwell’s lack of defensive measures against the predator.
Their tragic end was discovered by Willy Fulton, an air taxi pilot, who arrived for a scheduled pick-up and was met with a bone-chilling scene.
Silence enveloped the area as he witnessed a massive bear feasting on human remains. Alarmed, Fulton contacted Katmai National Park rangers. Joe Ellis and his team soon realized the horror that had occurred. The couple’s tents were torn, an evening meal was untouched, and shoes were left outside.
Nearby, a mound of grass concealed human body parts, including fingers and an arm. Tim’s severed and mutilated head, along with his detached right arm still wearing a wristwatch, painted a gruesome picture of their fate.
A six-minute audio recording of the attack added another layer of tragedy. Treadwell hadn’t removed the lens cap, but the microphone was still running, capturing the couple’s harrowing cries as they faced the bear’s onslaught.
Huguenard’s desperate attempts to intervene and Treadwell’s anguished screams revealed a scene of unimaginable horror. Subsequent investigations showed that the bear responsible had consumed a significant portion of human remains.
Park rangers noted that Treadwell was fortunate to have survived as long as he did, attributing his luck to the confusion of the bears by his unconventional interactions.
The tragic incident became the subject of Werner Herzog’s award-winning documentary, The Grizzly Man, which delved into Treadwell’s life and fatal encounter with the bears he thought of as friends. The film achieved a 92 percent Certified Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
In the documentary, Treadwell reveals there was one bear he never felt comfortable around, and Huguenard called him ‘hellbent on destruction.’
Treadwell believed the bears were his friends, but the bears did not share this sentiment. The recording of their final moments remains with one of Treadwell’s closest friends.
Filmmaker Werner Herzog, seen with his hands over his face while listening to the tape, advised, “never listen to this” and suggested destroying the tape and photos from the coroner’s office.
The final words spoken by Treadwell were captured in the footage. Huguenard is heard asking if the bear is still out there before Treadwell screams: “Get out here! I’m getting killed out here!”
Treadwell encourages Huguenard to “hit the bear” while she urges him to “fight back.” Huguenard hits the bear with a frying pan, her agonizing screams heard before the tape cuts out.
