Bear licks Quesnel woman on the hand

Melanie Porter was sitting on her porch in Quesnel, B.C., smokinga cigarette on Thursday night when she saw a black shadow in the corner of her eye.

"It kept coming closer and by the time I looked up, there was a bear," Porter said.

"It came right up to me, right in front of me. And then it came around the right side and literally licked my hand."

Shesaid although the momentfelt similar to a friendly dog curiously checking out a person, it was completely shocking to have it happen with a large bear.

"I just froze in sheer panic, but just stayed calm because I didn't want to aggravate it."

Thenthe bear went in for a second lick, Porter said.

"But his mouth was a little more open this time and I was like, 'nope.'So I pulled my arm back and I guess I kind of startled him because then he backed up. And that's when he decided to just be on his hind legs," she said.

At that moment, Porter, who already had her phone out, snapped a picture and took a video of the bear standing up on its hind legs just inches away from her.

"I was like, 'nobody's going to believe this.'So I had to take a picture."

WATCH: Surveillance video of bear that approached and licked Quesnel, B.C. woman:

Bear approaches and licks a woman in Quesnel, B.C.

3 years ago

Duration 0:30

A surveillance video shows the bear that approached and licked Quesnel, B.C. woman Melanie Porter on Thursday night.

'I didn't die. It's a miracle'

From there, Porter said thebear came down onall fours and walked away leaving her to finally take a breath of relief.

"I was just like, 'Oh my goodness, I didn't die.' It's a miracle."

She said while bears in her neighbourhood in Quesnel located between Prince George and Williams Lake are commonly found scavenging through garbage cans,she hasn't encountered one personally, until now.

She said theexperiencehad herrethinking the time she spends on herporch at night.

"It actually might be a good time to try to quit smoking," she said. "It might be a sign."