what to do if a cougar approaches you

What Should I Do if I See a Bear?

Seeing a bear in the wild is a special care for for any company to a national park. While it is an heady moment, it is of import to remember that bears in national parks are wild and can exist dangerous. Their behavior is sometimes unpredictable. Although rare, attacks on humans have occurred, inflicting serious injuries and death. Each bear and each feel is unique; at that place is no single strategy that volition work in all situations and that guarantees rubber. Virtually bear encounters end without injury. Following some basic guidelines may help to lessen the threat of danger. Your safety can depend on your ability to calm the acquit.

When you arrive in a park, always call back to bank check with the nearest company center or backcountry office for the latest deport safety information.

If a bear happens to surprise you, stay at-home. Do not surprise the bear if it'south unaware of your presence.

National parks in Alaska created a safety sticker to share steps for avoiding an unwelcome encounter with a bear.

Avoiding an Run across

Post-obit viewing etiquette is the first step to fugitive an come across with a bear that could escalate into an assault. Keeping your altitude and non surprising bears are some of the most important things yous can do. Most bears will avoid humans if they hear them coming. Pay attention to your surround and brand a special endeavor to be noticeable if you are in an surface area with known conduct activity or a good food source, such equally drupe bushes.

Bear Encounters

One time a comport has noticed you and is paying attention to you, additional strategies can help forestall the situation from escalating.

• Place yourself past talking calmly so the bear knows you are a human being and not a prey animal. Remain nonetheless; stand your ground but slowly wave your arms. Help the bear recognize yous every bit a human. It may come up closer or stand on its hind legs to get a better look or smell. A standing bear is unremarkably curious, not threatening.
• Stay calm and remember that most bears exercise non want to assail y'all; they normally just want to be left lonely. Bears may bluff their way out of an encounter by charging and then turning away at the concluding second. Bears may also react defensively by woofing, yawning, salivating, growling, snapping their jaws, and laying their ears back. Continue to talk to the bear in low tones; this will assistance you stay calmer, and it won't be threatening to the bear. A scream or sudden movement may trigger an set on. Never imitate acquit sounds or brand a high-pitched squeal.
• Selection up small children immediately. Do not make any loud noises or screams—the bear may recall information technology'south the audio of a casualty creature. Slowly moving ridge your artillery above your caput and tell the bear to back off. Do NOT run or make whatever sudden movements. Do non make any loud noises or screams—the bear may think information technology's the sound of a prey creature.
• Hike and travel in groups. Groups of people are usually noisier and smellier than a unmarried person. Therefore, bears often become aware of groups of people at greater distances, and because of their cumulative size, groups are as well intimidating to bears.
• Make yourselves expect every bit big as possible (for example, move to college basis).
• Exercise Non allow the bear access to your nutrient. Getting your food will only encourage the bear and make the trouble worse for others.
• Do NOT drop your pack every bit it can provide protection for your back and prevent a deport from accessing your food.
• If the bear is stationary, move away slowly and sideways; this allows yous to continue an eye on the bear and avoid tripping. Moving sideways is also non-threatening to bears.
• Do NOT run, simply if the bear follows, stop and concord your ground. Bears can run as fast every bit a racehorse both uphill and down. Like dogs, they will chase fleeing animals.
• Do NOT climb a tree. Both grizzlies and black bears can climb trees.
• Leave the expanse or take a detour. If this is impossible, wait until the conduct moves away. Always leave the deport an escape route.
• Be especially cautious if y'all see a female with cubs; never place yourself between a mother and her cub, and never endeavor to approach them. The chances of an set on escalate profoundly if she perceives y'all as a danger to her cubs.

Carry Attacks

Bear attacks are rare; near bears are only interested in protecting food, cubs, or their space. However, beingness mentally prepared can help y'all have the most effective reaction. Every situation is different, but below are guidelines on how brown conduct attacks tin can differ from black bear attacks. Help protect others by reporting all comport incidents to a park ranger immediately. Above all, keep your distance from bears!

• Dark-brown/Grizzly Bears: If y'all are attacked by a brownish/grizzly behave, leave your pack on and PLAY Dead. Lay flat on your breadbasket with your easily clasped behind your neck. Spread your legs to brand it harder for the bear to turn you over. Remain still until the bear leaves the area. Fighting dorsum usually increases the intensity of such attacks. However, if the assault persists, fight back vigorously. Utilise whatever y'all have at hand to hit the comport in the confront.
• Blackness Bears: If you lot are attacked by a blackness bear, Exercise Not PLAY DEAD. Try to escape to a secure place such as a car or edifice. If escape is non possible, try to fight back using any object available. Concentrate your kicks and blows on the bear's face up and muzzle.

If whatever bear attacks you in your tent, or stalks you and and then attacks, do NOT play dead—fight back! This kind of attack is very rare, but can be serious because it frequently means the bear is looking for food and sees you equally prey.

Carry Pepper Spray

Bear pepper spray can exist an important affair to acquit when exploring the back country. It is used defensively to stop an aggressive, charging, or attacking bear. Although it's used in the same manner you would use mace on an attacking person, bear pepper spray and human pepper spray are not the same. Make sure you select an EPA approved product that is specifically designed to stop aggressive bears. It is non a repellent so practice not use to your torso or equipment. Bank check with your national park to see if conduct pepper spray is recommended or allowed for the activities you have planned. Learn more than about selecting and using deport pepper spray in this introductory video or by visiting the Using Spray to Deter an Ambitious Comport page on Yellowstone'southward website.

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Source: https://www.nps.gov/subjects/bears/safety.htm

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