Are there significant behaviour differences among bear species to adopt different safety rules?
Living in the north-east part of America, my chances of encountering a grizzly bear are very low. I have greater chances of meeting a black bear. If I got the chance of meeting a grizzly, should I change what I learned to be safe and sound?
I gave the example of a grizzly bear but my question is not focused on that particular species.
This post was sourced from https://outdoors.stackexchange.com/q/3280. It is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
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From Trip Savvy Bear Safety Tips:
If a Grizzly Bear Attacks…
- Play dead! Lie face down on the ground with your hands around the back of your neck.
- Stay silent and try not to move. Keep your legs spread apart and if you can, leave your pack on to protect your back.
- Once the bear backs off, stay quiet and still for as long as you can.
- Bears will often watch from a distance and come back if they see movement.
If a Black Bear Attacks…
- Be loud, waive your arms, and stand your ground.
- Fight back! Be aggressive and use any object you have.
- Only if you are sure the bear attacking is a mother who is protecting its cubs, play dead.
- If you have pepper spray, use it. Begin spraying when it's within 40 ft so it runs into the fog. Aim for the face.
It's worth noting that Parks Canada has stopped providing bear specific protocols for handling black/grizzly encounters except providing distinguishing characteristics so that you can accurately report which type of bear encounter you had.
This post was sourced from https://outdoors.stackexchange.com/a/3281. It is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
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