Keep bear fear in perspective; after reading an article like this, you might think bears are out to get you. Black bears are found across all of Canada and 41 of the 50 United States. In Europe there are some brown bears in the Pyrenees (highly threatened), and brown bears can also be found in Sweden, Finland, Romania, Greece, Bulgaria, Slovakia, Slovenia and Russia. In these situations, “play dead” as the bear actually attacks you. Though there are a number of factors that lead to such events, Mother Nature Network points out that the increased number of human-bear conflicts can be linked to environmental degradation, such as habitat loss, increasing populations, food shortages, and climate change. Staying uphill may give you more of a chance to inflict enough damage to the bear to give you a chance to escape. Many experts say that human pepper-spray would not work on a bear (And may be illegal) so do your research and perhaps invest in the slightly more expensive bottle of bear spray. And hiking at night is not advised in bear country––bears may be about and you can't see, increasing the potential for an unwanted abrupt meeting. That's just going to make the bear more angry, it won't do anything helpful. An examination of the Black Bear attack statistics showed that of the deaths since 1900, only in few cases bodies showed indications of being used as a food source by the attacking bear. while the other person shouts at the bear to distract him. Larger bears have been known to knock them down. If you really can’t stand to see another ad again, then please consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. Location: Black bears are the most common bear in North America. It wouldn't do you any good to accidentally pepperspray yourself in an attempt to defend yourself against the bear. Avoid smelling like a candy store when in bear country. In particular, protect young or vulnerable people. The bear won't be fooled into thinking you've disappeared and scuttling off to hide may well trigger the predator instinct to keep foraging for you. Today, Jane Switzer examines the recent slew of… In this case, 80% of readers who voted found the article helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. If you do, it acts as an attractant to bears! Though this is the best time for some cool weather hiking, it’s also the most common time you may come into contact with a cougar. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. Black Bear behavior is slightly different. A black bear attack is mostly about intimidation, so if you can out scare the bear you will come out victorious. The black bear does exist in a few parts of Mexico but it is endangered. You’ll have to endure the elements and hope for the best. As nature comes out of its own hibernation, the bears are doing the same – and are very hungry. Stay calm and try not to shout unless it's part of your noise strategy. They prefer forested areas. Updated: September 16, 2019. The chances of being killed by a bear while visiting the Yellowstone National park is 1 in 2.1 million. By using our site, you agree to our. A gap in their teeth enables them to suck up ants, termites, and other insects. Where are you located? Usually, if a black bear attacks you, it’s an offensive attack." Lie flat on your stomach and spread your legs so that the bear can’t roll you over easily. Stand your ground. However, don't rely on any other form of repellent than pepper spray as your anti-bear arsenal because they generally do not make any impact at all; use of them is a last ditch desperate act. SHARE . In Canada, black bears are found in most provinces although they are extinct on Prince Edward Island. Six Terrifying Bear Attack Stories. Identify the bear quickly upon your encounter. Whenever backing away from a bear, do so facing the bear so that you can continue to watch the bear. The course is one of the most sadistic in triathlons. Do your best to put something large in between you and the bear, like a tree or a rock. If there is food attracting them, they'll be there, you may simply not have seen them, for they are very secretive. This image may not be used by other entities without the express written consent of wikiHow, Inc.
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\n<\/p><\/div>"}, Zora Aiken and David Aiken, The Essential Family Camper, p. 47, (2001), ISBN 0-07-137614-3. Murder by a person is more common than death by a black bear. These bears are highly dangerous to humans! Polar bears are massive — males can be anywhere between 7 feet to over 10 feet tall. Jun 23, 2013 - "Fatal black bear attacks on people are extremely rare. Long answer: It depends. General assignment reporter covering national and breaking news. Brown bears like semi-open country, often in mountainous areas, and are found in Eurasia and North America––about 95% of brown bears in North America are in Alaska, with the remaining brown bears along and in the Rockies, in the western Great Plains and along the upper western coast (grizzly bears can be found in the interior and coast). Good idea. Surviving a Bear Attack. Don't make sudden movements. This image is not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. ", Wild Animal Attack Prevention and Response, https://above.nasa.gov/safety/documents/Bear/bearspray_vs_bullets.pdf, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_black_bear, consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow, Brown bears (sub-species "Grizzly" bears) (. Black bear predatory attack: The bear that is hungry will often find you and may have stalked you. Article originally published August 9, 2017. Always do what you can to avoid such attacks in order to preserve your own life, as well as the lives of animals in the wild.). Avoid any sudden movements and never run. This image is not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. Also, a good kick to the snout can be enough to stun the bear. In general, take the same precautions you would in grizzly country: Carry bear spray in areas where black bears are active, keep food and trash packed away, and make noise when walking through the woods so you don’t surprise any hidden bears. Playing dead has saved many people surviving bear attacks. But whatever you do, don’t climb a tree. Follow the manufacturer's instructions. Black bears are typically smaller and more slender than Grizzlies. Avoid leaving any person alone with the bear. The Sri Lankan sloth bear is found only on the island of Sri Lanka in lowland forests. However, with human encroachment on bear habitats, black bear attacks are not unheard of and should be taken seriously. A bear is able to run over 40 mph (64 km/h), so don't harbor notions of outrunning the bear! What Todd Orr’s Mauling Can Teach Us About Bear Attacks. Tip #9: Hit the Dirt After unsuccessfully using the bear spray and the bear still decides to attack you, hit the dirt. Always be prepared with pepper spray if you have a campfire, especially if you're cooking because they'll be attracted to the smell of food. Reporter: Bear attacks continue to roar in the news. Black bear defensive attack: The bear that is defending itself will tend to swat at you and try to bite. The thing is, animals don’t give a damn about social distancing, and there is a chance — depending on where you are — that you might come across a creature (say, a bear) that could, if provoked, cause you serious bodily harm or even kill you. Do not act like prey––stay calm and fight back with everything (and everyone) in the tent. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 499,241 times. If done correctly, a kick landed on the face may cause hemorrhage due to the bear's resistance, potentially causing whiplash. This article has been viewed 499,241 times. If you’re in danger of a bear attack, try to appear as big as possible by raising your arms and spreading your legs. Sloth bears ("Melursus ursinus"): Sloth bears are a nocturnal insectivorous species of bear found wild within the Indian subcontinent. If the brown bear or grizzly roughs you up a bit, stay flat and silent. When it comes to surviving a bear attack, your best chance lies in never encountering a bear in the first place. A cream-colored "V" or "Y" usually marks their chests. This image may not be used by other entities without the express written consent of wikiHow, Inc.
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