****Disclaimer: I am not an expert in wildlife safety or on wildlife encounters. While I believe that my Bachelor of Science in Wildlife Biology (Which included education on the natural history of all vertebrate classes), experience living and working in the Alaskan bush, and travels through the American West qualifies me to write this blog, readers are strongly encouraged to research these topics in much greater depth.****
I crouched over the edge of the dock, carefully cleaning the Sockeye Salmon I'd caught earlier. It was around 22:00. The summer solstice had passed and although there was plenty of light to see by, twilight was descending upon the river. I heard movement in the bushes at the loading dock nearby, and suddenly a mother bear and her two yearling cubs came into view. She stood up, sniffed in my direction, and then began to wade into the water towards me. I yelled "Hey bear! Get back bear! Go on!" and prepared to jump into one of the boats at the dock and move away as fast as possible. She changed her mind, however, left the water, and headed back into the bushes with her two cubs in tow.
It was my second summer living in bear country, but I hadn't seen a bear in town for a while and accidentally put myself in a dangerous situation for myself, the mother bear, and her two cubs. I shouldn't have been cleaning a fish so late in the evening, when bear activity is heightened. I began with this anecdote to show how easy it is to become complacent, and that accidents can happen. The purpose of this blog is to give an introduction to staying safe when around dangerous wildlife. Seeing recent tragic accidents on the news gave me the idea for this blog, but I want to make it very clear that I am not implying any blame. There is never any guarantee of safety even if every precaution is taken, and every wildlife encounter is different. I do truly believe, however, that preparing yourself for wildlife encounters lessens your chances of injury, and I hope readers find this blog helpful.
What follows herein is a list of steps you can take to prepare yourself when visiting a new area and when exploring The Great Outdoors in general, followed by details on a few of North America's largest and most powerful animals.
1. Read up on the ecology of the area you are visiting.
From the deserts of the southwest to the Arctic, anywhere you venture to is going to be unique with a unique set of preparations needed. Read about both typical and extreme weather that may be expected for the time of year you are visiting, and pack accordingly. For example a summer in Alaska should include reliable raingear (Jacket with a hood, pants, and boots) and plenty of warm layers (Including those for winter weather). Look at a map and familiarize yourself with major landmarks. This will come in handy if you become lost, and allow you to navigate faster either way. Finally, learn about any potentially hazardous landscape features and wildlife. By hazardous landscape features I am referring to geysers, bogs, rivers, and other unstable and unpredictable natural areas. By hazardous wildlife I am referring to any large animal that can kill a human by sheer force.
2. Read in more detail on the habitat and behavior of potentially dangerous animals.
Where does this animal typically live? Forests, open areas, lowlands, highlands? What does it eat? Should you be extra wary in a berry patch? On a mountain trail? Learn to recognize signs of the animal's presence such as tracks, scent and claw markings, scat, and more. Is this animal diurnal (Most active during the day), crepuscular (Most active around dusk), or nocturnal (Most active at night)? Is it this animal's breeding season? How might this alter your activities? How might you avoid an encounter? Typically this involves making a bit of noise as you walk, such as frequently saying "Hey bear!" when traveling in bear country. How might this animal behave in an encounter with humans? Is it more likely to run, charge, stalk, jump, or other? A vast majority of the time, the animal will run- It is likely as frightened as you! However, if it does not, you should know what it might do instead. How should you behave in an encounter should one occur? Other species use social cues like we do, and just as in humans you do not want to use the wrong one in the wrong way and trigger an aggressive response. For example, you never want to turn your back on an animal and/or run. This may trigger a charge or chase either predatory or defensive in nature.
How do you tell a predatory over a defensive interaction and what do you do?
Predatory: Ears will be forward, animal will approach with an intense focus and may stalk, disappear, and reappear. Your goal in this situation is to intimidate and convince the animal that you are not food! Be prepared to fight! An approach by a cougar or wolf should be assumed to be predatory.
Defensive: Animal will either run away or charge. The charge may be a bluff where the animal veers off at the end. If contact is about to be made, lay down on your stomach, cross your hands behind your neck, and use your elbows and toes to avoid being rolled over. Protect your abdomen. Try to be as still and quiet as possible, and do not get up until you are sure the bear has left. Defensive approaches are most common in Grizzly (Brown) Bears.
3. Check out visitor centers.
I'm not just saying this because I've worked at one! Visitor centers offer so many great resources- from natural and cultural exhibits to maps, brochures, and most importantly direct contact with staff that know the area you are visiting intimately as they live and work there. Staff are present to answer your questions and inform you about what you should look for and what you should look out for. Confirm what you've already researched through these interactions, and learn more before continuing on your adventure.
4. Stay vigilant; do not become complacent.
OK, so you've done your homework, you've been by the visitor center, and you're enjoying a hike. Even if there are lots of people around and you haven't seen any sign of a bear/mountain lion/wolf/other, stay vigilant. Do not become complacent. Keep children and pets near at all times. Keep up with the "Hey bears!" or talking among your group. If you camp, keep a clean camp; don't leave food or garbage around. Be sure to still have fun, just don't forget where you are and who else may be around!
5. Always respect wildlife; never approach.
When you are exploring parks, wilderness, or other natural areas, think of yourself as a guest in someone's home. Try to leave things as you found them, and don't intrude on a wild animal's space. Just as you would be alarmed if approached by a bear or other large mammal, they would likely be alarmed if you did the same. Animals deserve respect and privacy just as we expect of others. Follow the Thumb Rule- If you are watching an animal, outstretch your arm and put your thumb out. If the animal does not fit behind your thumb, you are too close and should back away. I see too many news reports now of people getting mauled or gored by Bison, Elk, etc. as they were trying to take a "Selfie" (And I've watched people trying to take selfies with wildlife). Again, DON'T BE THAT PERSON!
Specific Species Examples
Brown Bear (Ursus arctos)
Range:
Length: 5-9 ft
Weight: 300-1200 lbs.
Habitat: Brown bears utilize a diversity of habitats, from open tundra and river valleys, to mountain sides and forests, to ocean shores.
Diet: Omnivore- Berries, grasses and sedges, roots, insects, carrion, fish, oysters, small to large mammals, etc.
When most active: Dawn and dusk.
Warning signs: Fresh scat, fresh tracks, or a kill site may warrant either a change in direction and/or being on higher alert and making more noise. Yawning, jaw popping, huffing, salivating, and head and ears down mean a bear is stressed and may charge.
What to do in an encounter: Do not run, do not turn your back, and do not look the bear directly in the eyes. Raise and slowly wave your hands above your head and say "Hey bear" to help the bear recognize you as human. Slowly back away. Be prepared to use bear spray (A highly potent pepper spray), which has an extremely high effectiveness rate.
Black Bear (Ursus americanus)
Range:
Length: 50-75 in
Weight: 130-660 lbs.
Habitat: Forested areas.
Diet: Omnivore- grasses and sedges, fruits, nuts, insects, honey, fish, small mammals, carrion.
Time of Day most active: Dawn and dusk.
Warning signs: Fresh scat, fresh tracks, or a kill site may warrant either a change in direction and/or being on higher alert and making more noise. Pursed lips, huffing, lip smacking, jaw popping, ears and head down, paw swat.
What to do in an encounter: Do not run, do not turn your back, and do not look the bear directly in the eyes. Raise and slowly wave your hands above your head and say "Hey bear" to help the bear recognize you as human. Slowly back away. Be prepared to use bear spray (A highly potent pepper spray), which has an extremely high effectiveness rate.
Mountain Lion (Cougar) (Puma concolor)
Range:
Length: 6.5 ft (Female), 7.9 ft (Male)
Weight: 64-220 lbs.
Habitat: Mountains, forests, swamps- not in open areas.
Diet: Carnivore- deer as well as smaller mammals such as porcupine, raccoon, etc.
Time of Day most active: Dawn and dusk when deer are most active.
Warning signs: Fresh scat, fresh tracks, or a kill site may warrant either a change in direction and/or being on higher alert and making more noise. Mountain Lions normally stay hidden, so seeing one should raise a red flag. An approach by this animal should be considered predatory.
What to do in an encounter: Give the lion an escape route. Do not turn around or crouch down. Pick up small children and bunch up in a group. Your objective will be to make yourself appear as large and intimidating as possible to show that you are not prey. Do this by raising your arms, yelling, and clapping. Throw rocks and sticks and fight back if approached and attacked. Bear spray may also be utilized (Go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jpB7jrJ7Zds for an example).
Gray Wolf (Canis lupus)
Range:
Length: 49-83 in
Weight: 40-175 lbs.
Habitat: Highly diverse in habitat- Tundra and open lowland valleys to forests, mountains, grasslands, and deserts.
Diet: Carnivore- Ungulates (Hooved mammals such as Deer, Elk, Moose, and Caribou), smaller mammals such as beaver and rabbits, and carrion.
Time of Day most active: Dawn and dusk.
Warning signs: Fresh scat, fresh tracks, or a kill site may warrant either a change in direction and/or being on higher alert and making more noise. Intense focus, snarling, sharp barks and snorts, stalking.
What to do in an encounter: Do not run or turn your back. Like the Mountain Lion, you need to make yourself appear large and intimidating. If the wolf is aggressive, be aggressive- lunge at the wolf while clapping and yelling or back away slowly while clapping and yelling. Stare directly into the wolf's eyes. If more than one person and wolf are present, stand back to back each facing a wolf. If the wolf attacks, fight back with sticks, rocks, and whatever else you have or can find. Bear spray may also be utilized. Wolves cannot climb trees, so climbing a tree is another option.
American Alligator (Alligator mississippiensis)
Range:
Length: Average- 8.2 ft (Female), 11.2 ft (Male), but can reach over 14 ft long.
Weight: 790 lbs on average, but can be over 1,000 lbs.
Habitat: Slow-moving or stagnant bodies of fresh or brackish water such as slow moving rivers, lakes, ponds, swamps, marshes, and other wetlands.
Diet: Carnivore- fish, birds, frogs, and mammals that swim or come to the water's edge.
Time of Day most active: Dawn and dusk and night.
Warning signs: Alligators in water or at water's edge, tracks, nests. Hissing. It is safe to assume that alligators may be present in any freshwater body in their range- Stay away from water's edge and do not swim.
What to do in an encounter: Keep 30 ft away from alligators. Back away slowly if you accidentally find yourself too close. If an alligator becomes aggressive, run as fast as you can in a straight line away from it (It is a common misconception to run in a zig-zagging line). Alligators can move fast on land, but not for long distances. If you are attacked, fight back and target the alligator's eyes. Alligators will often bite and release or readjust- use that time to escape.
In concluding, I hope you've found this blog informative and helpful for your future travels. What I do not want is for readers to become too afraid to explore, or to think of these animals as monsters. Conflicts are extremely rare- They seem more common than they are because these events always make news. Be informed, be aware, and understand the reality that we share the Earth with other species. These are intelligent, emotional, sentient creatures that deserve our respect and compassion- Appreciate them from a distance, understand how they interact with the world, and do everything you can to prevent an encounter.
Feel free to ask questions (I will do my best to answer them) and start productive, respectful conversations in the comments section.
Thank you all,
Jess
Specific Species Examples
Please note that although these examples are of carnivores (Species with a meat-only diet) and omnivores (Meat and plant diet), large herbivores (Plant-only diet) can be just as dangerous. Respect wildlife and give them their space!
Cervids (Deer, Elk, Moose, Caribou) are particularly dangerous during the rut- Their mating season in which males have fully grown antlers, are less cautious, and more aggressive than normal.
Photo Credit: Steve Pemble.
Range:
 |
| Map from nhptv.org |
Length: 5-9 ft
Weight: 300-1200 lbs.
Habitat: Brown bears utilize a diversity of habitats, from open tundra and river valleys, to mountain sides and forests, to ocean shores.
Diet: Omnivore- Berries, grasses and sedges, roots, insects, carrion, fish, oysters, small to large mammals, etc.
When most active: Dawn and dusk.
Warning signs: Fresh scat, fresh tracks, or a kill site may warrant either a change in direction and/or being on higher alert and making more noise. Yawning, jaw popping, huffing, salivating, and head and ears down mean a bear is stressed and may charge.
What to do in an encounter: Do not run, do not turn your back, and do not look the bear directly in the eyes. Raise and slowly wave your hands above your head and say "Hey bear" to help the bear recognize you as human. Slowly back away. Be prepared to use bear spray (A highly potent pepper spray), which has an extremely high effectiveness rate.
Black Bear (Ursus americanus)
Range:
 |
| Map from hww.ca |
Length: 50-75 in
Weight: 130-660 lbs.
Habitat: Forested areas.
Diet: Omnivore- grasses and sedges, fruits, nuts, insects, honey, fish, small mammals, carrion.
Time of Day most active: Dawn and dusk.
Warning signs: Fresh scat, fresh tracks, or a kill site may warrant either a change in direction and/or being on higher alert and making more noise. Pursed lips, huffing, lip smacking, jaw popping, ears and head down, paw swat.
What to do in an encounter: Do not run, do not turn your back, and do not look the bear directly in the eyes. Raise and slowly wave your hands above your head and say "Hey bear" to help the bear recognize you as human. Slowly back away. Be prepared to use bear spray (A highly potent pepper spray), which has an extremely high effectiveness rate.
How to tell Brown and Black Bears apart. Graphic from adirondackwildlife.org.
"Staying Safe in Bear Country", an excellent video used in both of the Bear Safety courses I have taken, showing real encounters, and one which I highly recommend. It is also available in parts by searching YouTube by its title.
Mountain Lion (Cougar) (Puma concolor)
Range:
 |
| From Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History- North American Mammals |
Length: 6.5 ft (Female), 7.9 ft (Male)
Weight: 64-220 lbs.
Habitat: Mountains, forests, swamps- not in open areas.
Diet: Carnivore- deer as well as smaller mammals such as porcupine, raccoon, etc.
Time of Day most active: Dawn and dusk when deer are most active.
Warning signs: Fresh scat, fresh tracks, or a kill site may warrant either a change in direction and/or being on higher alert and making more noise. Mountain Lions normally stay hidden, so seeing one should raise a red flag. An approach by this animal should be considered predatory.
What to do in an encounter: Give the lion an escape route. Do not turn around or crouch down. Pick up small children and bunch up in a group. Your objective will be to make yourself appear as large and intimidating as possible to show that you are not prey. Do this by raising your arms, yelling, and clapping. Throw rocks and sticks and fight back if approached and attacked. Bear spray may also be utilized (Go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jpB7jrJ7Zds for an example).
Gray Wolf (Canis lupus)
Range:
 |
| Gray Wolf range from wild.enature.com, also shows Red Wolf range in the southeast. Note that Gray Wolf range is expanding in the lower 48 and this map may be a bit outdated. |
Length: 49-83 in
Weight: 40-175 lbs.
Habitat: Highly diverse in habitat- Tundra and open lowland valleys to forests, mountains, grasslands, and deserts.
Diet: Carnivore- Ungulates (Hooved mammals such as Deer, Elk, Moose, and Caribou), smaller mammals such as beaver and rabbits, and carrion.
Time of Day most active: Dawn and dusk.
Warning signs: Fresh scat, fresh tracks, or a kill site may warrant either a change in direction and/or being on higher alert and making more noise. Intense focus, snarling, sharp barks and snorts, stalking.
What to do in an encounter: Do not run or turn your back. Like the Mountain Lion, you need to make yourself appear large and intimidating. If the wolf is aggressive, be aggressive- lunge at the wolf while clapping and yelling or back away slowly while clapping and yelling. Stare directly into the wolf's eyes. If more than one person and wolf are present, stand back to back each facing a wolf. If the wolf attacks, fight back with sticks, rocks, and whatever else you have or can find. Bear spray may also be utilized. Wolves cannot climb trees, so climbing a tree is another option.
American Alligator (Alligator mississippiensis)
Range:
 |
| American Alligator range from www2. southeastern.edu |
Length: Average- 8.2 ft (Female), 11.2 ft (Male), but can reach over 14 ft long.
Weight: 790 lbs on average, but can be over 1,000 lbs.
Habitat: Slow-moving or stagnant bodies of fresh or brackish water such as slow moving rivers, lakes, ponds, swamps, marshes, and other wetlands.
Diet: Carnivore- fish, birds, frogs, and mammals that swim or come to the water's edge.
Time of Day most active: Dawn and dusk and night.
Warning signs: Alligators in water or at water's edge, tracks, nests. Hissing. It is safe to assume that alligators may be present in any freshwater body in their range- Stay away from water's edge and do not swim.
What to do in an encounter: Keep 30 ft away from alligators. Back away slowly if you accidentally find yourself too close. If an alligator becomes aggressive, run as fast as you can in a straight line away from it (It is a common misconception to run in a zig-zagging line). Alligators can move fast on land, but not for long distances. If you are attacked, fight back and target the alligator's eyes. Alligators will often bite and release or readjust- use that time to escape.
In concluding, I hope you've found this blog informative and helpful for your future travels. What I do not want is for readers to become too afraid to explore, or to think of these animals as monsters. Conflicts are extremely rare- They seem more common than they are because these events always make news. Be informed, be aware, and understand the reality that we share the Earth with other species. These are intelligent, emotional, sentient creatures that deserve our respect and compassion- Appreciate them from a distance, understand how they interact with the world, and do everything you can to prevent an encounter.
Feel free to ask questions (I will do my best to answer them) and start productive, respectful conversations in the comments section.
Thank you all,
Jess
Sources:
Bears:
Ecology- www.defenders.org/grizzly-bear/basic-facts
www.defenders.org/black-bear/basic-facts
animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/brown-bear/
animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/black-bear/
Signs of stress- http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fsbdev2_037587.pdf
Safety- www.env.gov.yk.ca/publications-maps/documents/BearBooklet2013_ENG_WEB.pdf
Mountain Lion:
Ecology- www.defenders.org/mountain-lion/basic-facts
animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/mountain-lion/
Bears:
Ecology- www.defenders.org/grizzly-bear/basic-facts
www.defenders.org/black-bear/basic-facts
animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/brown-bear/
animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/black-bear/
Signs of stress- http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fsbdev2_037587.pdf
Safety- www.env.gov.yk.ca/publications-maps/documents/BearBooklet2013_ENG_WEB.pdf
Mountain Lion:
Ecology- www.defenders.org/mountain-lion/basic-facts
animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/mountain-lion/
https://www.nwf.org/Wildlife/Wildlife-Library/Mammals/Mountain-Lion.aspx
Safety- https://www.nps.gov/care/learn/nature/cougar.htm
http://www.mountainlion.org/portalprotectstaysafe.asp
www.training.colostate.edu/proctor/mountain-lions.pdf
Gray Wolf:
Ecology- www.defenders.org/gray-wolf/basic-facts
animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/wolf/
Safety- https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/static/species/.../pdfs/wolf_safety_brochure.pdf
Alligator:
Ecology- http://tracker.cci.fsu.edu/alligator/about/where/
https://nationalzoo.si.edu/Animals/ReptilesAmphibians/Facts/.../Americanalligator.cfm
animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/reptiles/american-alligator/
www.defenders.org/american-alligator/basic-facts
Safety- http://tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/park-information/alligator-safety
http://articles.latimes.com/2012/jul/10/nation/la-na-nn-alligator-attacks-rare-20120710
No comments:
Post a Comment