Let’s make this clear: This post has nothing to do with a certain issue in the news about a certain post-Soviet country’s recent military activity.

Excerpts taken from a page on the Yukon government’s web site, “In a Bear Encounter…”

- “Except in some remote areas, most bears have had some previous experience with people. Whatever a bear has learned from these experiences will influence its behavior during the next encounter.

While it’s always safest to prevent encounters, there are many situations in which bears and humans interact.”

- “Some bears avoid larger more dominant bears by using areas close to human activity. This increases their risk of conflict with people.

Food-conditioned bears may be bold and approach deliberately to get to your food. They can come right into your camp, rip into your tent, or enter a building.

Your response to a bear encounter or attack should be different depending on the bear’s behavior and the circumstances, not the species.”

- “A predatory bear will be intensely interested and focused on you as a potential meal. A bear that is initially curious or testing you may become predatory if you do not stand up to it.”

- “A defensive bear is a stressed bear. You have entered its personal space and the bear perceives you as a threat. The bear may retreat, or remain nearby, nervous and uncertain. It may approach you… or charge.

Whenever a bear approaches or charges… Stand your ground.”

- “Try to appear non-threatening. Talk to the bear in a firm voice. This may calm the bear as well as yourself.”

- “If an attack is prolonged or the bear starts eating you, it is no longer being defensive. You must now fight back with all you’ve got! Your life depends on it.”

- “The two main types of serious attacks are defensive or predatory …

- “A defensive attack is when the bear is trying to remove a threat. A predatory attack is when the bear is intent on eating you. Your initial response to both should be the same… stand your ground!”

photo credit: Sasha Petite

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