Who is more dangerous – you or a bear?

What to do if in nature you
Missed Bear? Right,
Pretend to be dead. And you know
why? Because that’s how you
Will look in a minute.
Just to not waste time.

Jimmy Carr

In some US National Parks, there is a real chance to meet a bear. Andriusix didn’t really believe such statements, thinking that it was for the most part of the bike, designed to maintain interest and certain adrenaline in curious tourists. While with his eyes did not see a trace bear in the Park Sequoia.

In connection with «Bear danger» In some parks (Yosemite, Sequoia, Kings Canyon, Yellowstone) have a series rules of behavior. They are designed not only and not even so much to protect tourists from bears, how many recent people. For all that the negligence for us can turn into death for innocent animals. Almost every attacked animal is doomed to be killed.

I note that the bears are different and if black bears are not too bloodthirsty and aggressive, then grizzlys who are found in Yellowstone, attack people willingly.

So, Ob official rules, prescribed in all parks and brochures.

Hide food

The most important thing is that attracts clutches closer to people – this is food. I do not want to upset anyone, but for bears a meal is not only what we think so, and in fact everything that smells.

What is a meal for bear?

Directly the food itself;
Paste, soap and other toiletries;
Rubbish;
Banks and bottles with drinks, and even unopened;
Ice boxes, even if they are empty;
Children’s car seats (also smell like food);
Lotions, balms, repellents;
Cigarettes and other tobacco products;
Cleaning products, napkins and other fragrant things.

Where to hide food?

Special box

Rules of parks strongly require that tourists keep all their food and other things from the list above in special Iron Boxes / Vaults (FOOD Locker /Food Storage). Such boxes, individual or general, there are almost all campsites of parks where bears are found. For non-compliance with this simple rule, you can pay a fine of 5,000 dollars or something worse. For example, a cooled machine or biled ear. Or something else.

Automobile

Food can be left in the car (with closed windows) only in the daytime. For the night, everything in any case will have to be transferred to the repository. Why? Because the bears, firstly, feel the smell, secondly, recognize in all kinds of boxes, bags and jars potential food, so they can easily smash the window, bend the door, making his way to food or make some more nasty. You need it?

Tent

The tent is generally better not to bring any food and, if possible, is not there. Why? The bear can look into the camp even in the presence of people and to conduct an inspection, whether there was something edible. For the same reason, the locker is better to keep constantly closed, even when you are near or in a tent.

Picnic area / campaign

In these cases, Rangers are also not recommended to leave food unattended. Bears can come to Picnic Eria (Picnic place) Even when you eat quietly. Again, I note that the probability of this is extremely small, but still possible. Do not be afraid to face the bear nose to the nose at every step, otherwise the rest will turn into a nightmare.

We, being in Yosemite, Sequoire and Kings Canyon, saw a bear only once, and that was a big luck. He was completely quiet and calm, something chewed and did not pay any attention to surrounding his tourists with cameras. Some weather Ranger drove him deep into the forest deafening shouts. They say, in Yellowstone, the likelihood of the bear is much higher, but it was not possible to check it in practice.

If you are going to campaign, assumes overnight out of camping, it is better to have a special container for food. I wrote about this here.

Clean the garbage

Another park rule is that tourists remove the entire garbage in special garbage containers with protective locks or in their iron boxes. On the street, nothing can be left.

By the way, wash the dishes and pour dirty water without departing from the table, too. It smells of food. In the equipped campsites near the toilets there are special sinks for draining dirty water. Where there are no, it is better to pour water away from the place of overnight stay.

At first glance, everything seems very confused, but in fact, it is not so difficult to comply with these rules.

What to do if you saw a bear?

You can, of course, pretend to be dead, but it is better to do as they prescribe knowledgeable Rangers.

If you saw a bear in a campsite or parking, and he approaches you:

Do our best to scare it – Jump, shout, whistle so much as you can;
If you are not alone, stand up everything together to be something impressive and frightening.

the main objective – scare a clip so that he realize that people – Scary and terrible and with them something unpleasant.

If you saw the bear somewhere else:

Observe the distance (minimum 50 meters).

If you and other tourists will approach closer, it can lead to the fact that the animal will get used to be near people. The bear, who begins to feel comfortable next to the person, loses natural fear towards him and can sooner or later express aggression. When this happens, some of the individuals have to kill. So it is better to stay away from the bears, if not from fear for yourself, then at least from a sense of pity for them.

You know, I looked at everything written above and came to the conclusion that people for bears are much more dangerous than the opposite.

In National Parks Bears – far from the only inhabitants. There is a unique opportunity to see in the wilderness of deer, coits, all kinds of rodents and many who else. One of the main slogans of all parks – «Keep Wildlife Wild!», calling to allow wildlife to remain wild. Therefore, seeing the animal, do not try to go closer, stroke, and even more so feed him. Live your life, and let the animals live their. True, I will not hide, which is very difficult to stay from the desire to stroke some kind of deer, which walks a few steps away from you.

Pleasant meetings, dear readers!

Sheboldasik I. deer