Six percent of people think they can beat a grizzly bear

Would you know what to do if you crossed paths with a bear?


Wildlife experts emphasize that bear attacks are rare.

A woman in Washington state Saturday fended off an attack from a black bear outside her house by punching the bear in the nose.

Earlier this month, Kendell Cummings, a college wrestler at Northwest College in Powell, Wyo., fought off a grizzly bear that attacked his teammate in Shoshone National Forest, and Cummings survived the encounter by playing dead.

A Wyoming hunter shot himself Friday while trying to fend off a grizzly bear.


Most of us will only see a bear from a distance. But, by understanding bear behavior, you can better prepare for what to do if a bear takes an interest in you.


And if you do plan to hike in parts of the country where black and brown bears live, experts say you should bring bear spray, travel in groups and don’t run away if a bear spots you. They’ll catch up.


So what’s the real risk of getting attacked by a bear?


The answer depends on where you live and how much time you plan to spend in the bear’s habitat.


David Mizejewski, a naturalist at the National Wildlife Federation, said bear attacks are “very rare” and getting in the car to drive to the grocery store is “exponentially more dangerous” than going to a national or state park. One study found that 54 people were killed by black bears in reported incidents between 1960 and 2009…….

And, what if a bear starts to attack?


If you don’t have a can of bear spray and the bear is on the attack, you need to adjust your reaction based on the type of bear you’re facing.


For brown bears, play dead. Lie on the ground, cover your neck and remain still. Try to do what you can to look like less of a threat to the bear.


For black bears, the opposite is true. “Do not play dead,” the park service warns. Walk away slowly to a car or building or, if that’s not possible, fight and focus your blows on the bear’s face, the park service and experts say.


To remember what to do in a bear crisis, wildlife experts often cite this refrain:
“If the bear is black, fight back. If the bear is brown, lie down.”…..

https://www.washingtonpost.com/wellness/2022/10/25/what-to-do-bear-sighting-attack/