Non-Wisconsin Bear Info

[trashbear]

Editor's Note: From a Wyoming newspaper, "The Whole Town's Talking: Black bear chases man into tree"

http://www.casperstartribune.net

[AJE]

SEATTLE (AP) - Even as Johan Otter felt the grizzly tear at his scalp, he said his greatest concern was for his 18-year-old daughter. The two were hiking last month in Glacier National Park in Montana when a bear attacked him to protect her cubs.

Otter, of Escondido, Calif., understood the impulse: "Don't get to my daughter," he recalls thinking during the Aug. 25 attack. "Just stay with me."

His daughter, Jenna, came away from the attack with only a bite on the heel, a shoulder injury and some facial lacerations.

By the time Otter arrived at Harborview Medical Center here about 10 hours later, his scalp was gone and his skull exposed. He expects his recovery to take about 10 weeks.

Other injuries from the five-minute attack: five fractured vertebrae, three broken ribs, a fractured eye socket, five major bites over his body and a broken nose, doctors said.

Otter, a 44-year-old physical therapist, was upbeat Friday as he spoke with reporters, even though he was in a wheelchair with his head supported by a metal "halo" as part of the treatment of his vertebrae injuries.

He said numerous signs along the trail warned that they were in bear country and that one should tuck into a fetal position if attacked. He said that advice saved their lives.

Otter and his daughter were about an hour and a half into an early morning hike when he saw Jenna take two steps back and heard her say, "Oh, no."

The bear went straight at Otter's thigh and jostled him around.

"This bear is right at me and mouth wide open," he said. "You see the fangs, you see the huge claws."

At least one of the claws went into his face and his right eye, he said. After he fell off the trail, Otter said the bear followed him and continued the attack, climbing on top of him.

Otter curled into a fetal position and tried to protect his head with his arms. Still, "I could feel the tooth going in" his head, he said.

After the bear left, Otter and his daughter yelled for help until a hiker discovered them about 45 minutes later.

Dr. Nicholas Vedder, chief of plastic surgery at Harborview, said he was amazed at the "giant teeth marks down the bone" on Otter's body. Still, he said, Otter should make a full recovery.

[AlumniClub]

Black bears and grizzly bears are hard to distinguish by colour. Black bears can be black, blue-black, dark brown, brown, cinnamon and even white. Grizzlies, likewise, may range in colour, from black to blond.

The grizzly bear has a pronounced shoulder hump, a concave or "dished" facial profile and much larger claws than the black bear. Black bears have a flatter, "Roman-nosed" profile, larger ears and no shoulder hump.

Bears are omnivorous - meaning they eat vegetable and animal matter. Their natural diet, although mainly vegetarian, includes berries, grasses, nuts and seeds, roots, insects, fish, carrion and, occasionally, mammals such as deer and moose.

Bears generally avoid people. However, with the ever-increasing sprawl of human development, conflicts are inevitable. When natural food is scarce, bears may travel hundreds of kilometres, sometimes coming in contact with human settlements and human foods. As opportunistic feeders, hungry bears may enter a backyard or campground if lured by smells from a barbecue or trash bin.



BEARS ARE PREDICTABLE. Bears are usually more predictable than people. Learn more about bears and how to interpret bear behaviour, so that you can react appropriately and avoid a negative encounter.

Bears are NOT ferocious. Bears are NOT mean or malicious. Bears are normally shy, retiring animals that have very little desire to interact with humans.

Black Bears are usually more tolerant of people and often live near human settlements, whereas Grizzlies prefer to stay away from human settlements and often become extinct in heavily used or populated areas.

Black Bears are generally less aggressive than grizzlies.

Black Bears' excellent tree climbing ability is often used to escape predators and other bears; threatened mothers send cubs climbing.

Grizzlies are not good tree climbers (a mother grizzly will aggressively defend her cubs on the ground)

Standing up on its hind legs allows a bear to get more information from its senses of smell, sight, and hearing. It is a sign of curiosity, not aggression.

Bears are active mainly from dawn to dusk, but may be seen any time of day or night.

Most negative human-bear encounters are as a result of bears reacting defensively vs. active aggressively and can therefore be avoided.

Bears are very curious and will inspect odours, noises & objects to determine if they are edible or playthings.

Vocalizations from treed or trapped bears are usually FEAR MOANS and are often mistaken for growls.

Food & Fear dominate a bear's life. Most of a bear's day is spent foraging for food.


Do not feed bears! Conditioning bears to human food sources will eventually lead to trouble and often the death of the bear.

Although bears are technically of the order Carnivora, they are essentially omnivores.

Fish and meat are important sources of protein and fat. Although meat tops the list of high-quality food, most bears rely on chance carrion (including winter-killed animals). Some become very effective predators on newborn elk, moose, deer or caribou. Others live in areas where salmon, suckers or other fish spawn for part of each year.

Bears spend most of their time feeding on vegetation, insects and other more reliable, although lower calorie food sources. Plant foods make up the majority of a bear's diet (sometimes, as much as 90%).

Bears use a patchwork of habitats through the year, concentrating on different food sources as they come into season.

How do you distinguish a black bear from a grizzly bear
http://www.mountainnature.com/Wildlife/Bears/BearID.htm

[AJE]

Redraven, you really know your bear info. I guess until people get to see them trully in the wild they won't understand that bears aren't really a man-eater but are indeed shy.

Rangers at Glacier National Park,Montana tell the hikers such as my family to wear some sort of bells to warn bears that you are coming. It is indeed best to avoid a confirmation. Best advise NEVER APROUCH A WILD BEAR OF ANY SORTS. My closest encounter was seeing a (Grizzly)family through binoculars at a alpine lake/meadow on the next mountain over. But I've come within feet of many black bears all over the US.

[AJE]

BOZEMAN, Mont. - A grizzly bear attacked two hikers in Yellowstone National Park, but the men escaped serious injury, the National Park Service said Thursday.
Pat McDonald, 52, of Bismarck, N.D., and Gerald Holzer, 51, of Northfield, Minn., were hiking on a trail near Shoshone Lake in the park's southern section Wednesday when they noticed fresh bear scat, officials said in a written statement.

They decided to continue, but were charged by a grizzly bear "at full stride" about a quarter-mile further along the trail, the release said.

Holzer, who was in front, sidestepped the bear. McDonald stepped behind some trees and dropped to the ground, officials said. The bear ran past him, but returned and swatted at him, then turned to Holzer, who had dropped to the ground and was lying on his stomach.

The bear jumped on Holzer's back, swatted at him, then retreated briefly. During that time, McDonald retrieved the bear spray strapped to his waist and doused the bear in the face when it returned and starting biting his leg. The bear then ran off, officials said.

The two men hiked 4 miles to the trailhead and drove to the clinic at Old Faithful for treatment.

McDonald suffered a puncture wound to his leg. Holzer was not injured, and officials said his backpack protected him during the attack.

:cry:

[AJE]

For anyone’s who’s gone to see Yellowstone its predominantly lower terrain unlike Glacier with majestic mountains. People would be constantly coming into contact with the wildlife. I can’t begin to count the number of times we had a hold up traffic jam because the large mammals were taking there time crossing the roadway.

The way this last article sounds is the men were attacked probably for territorial reasons, most likely the bear had done a fresh kill and was protecting his dinner. The diet of a brown bear varies depending on the season and its habitat. The bear scat was a key to the hikers that they were crossing the threshold boundary. I know for a fact a solo male grizzly's territory range can cover between 70 and 400 square miles. Whom the bear will share with the sows or females.

[AJE]

Tips to Avoid Confrontations with Bears

When hiking in bear country:
Always make your presence known. Avoid surprising a bear. Make plenty of noise near dense vegetation or areas of limited visibility.
Remain aware of your surroundings and look for signs of recent bear activities, tracks, or scat.
Avoid areas where bears might feed - berry patches, streamsides, whitebark pine stands.
Carry pepper spray and keep it within easy reach. Know how to use it.

When camping in bear country:
Be sure to store your food in plastic away from your campsite. Hang the food from a tree at least 14 feet above ground and 4 feet away from the trunk.
Avoid camping near streamsides, where bears like to frequent, or next to bushes, where visibility is limited.

If you see a bear:
Keep your distance and allow the bear every opportunity to avoid you.
If the bear continues to approach you, it is most likely trying to identify what you are. Remain calm. A standing bear is usually curious, not threatening.
Identify yourself by talking in a normal voice.
Try to back away slowly at a diagonal angle. If the bear follows, stop and hold your ground.
Don't run. Bears can reach speeds of 35 mph, and like dogs, they will chase fleeing animals.
If the bear gets too close, wave your arms, raise your voice, and be more aggressive. Never make high-pitched squeals or attempt to sound like a bear.

What to do if the bear makes contact:
If you are attacked by a grizzly bear, fall to the ground and play dead. Make sure to cover your vunerable neck and head in a fetal position. Typically a bear will break off its attack once the threat is removed. Remain motionless as long as possible.
If you are attacked by a black bear, fight back vigorously. Throw stones.

Remember:

Bear attacks are rare, and most can be avoided with the proper precautions. Always maintain a healthy respect for wildlife. Never feed animals, and be sure to keep an appropriate distance.

With these tips in mind, I hope you'll enjoy a safe park experience.

[AlumniClub]

Originally Posted by AJE

Redraven, you really know your bear info. I guess until people get to see them trully in the wild they won't understand that bears aren't really a man-eater but are indeed shy.

Rangers at Glacier National Park,Montana tell the hikers such as my family to wear some sort of bells to warn bears that you are coming. It is indeed best to avoid a confirmation. Best advise NEVER APROUCH A WILD BEAR OF ANY SORTS. My closest encounter was seeing a (Grizzly)family through binoculars at a alpine lake/meadow on the next mountain over. But I've come within feet of many black bears all over the US.

Thanks AJE!!!!
You seem to know alot about bears too!!!
RedRaven

[AJE]

Has any hunting bear party ever heard of "The Dinner Bell Theory?"

[AlumniClub]

Amber, isnt that when you ring a big bell to ward off the bears and to announce to others a bear is near?


GB2

[AJE]

Bear kills 6-year-old girl in Tennessee
Mother, toddler injured in attack in national park
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12309606/from/RSS/


Updated: 11:40 p.m. ET April 13, 2006
BENTON, Tenn. - A bear attacked a family at a camp site in the Cherokee National Forest on Thursday, killing a 6-year-old girl and injuring her 2-year-old brother and mother, authorities said.

The attack took place near a pool of water on Chilhowee Mountain, said Dan Hicks, spokesman for the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency.

Witnesses described the bear picking up the boy in its mouth while the mother and other visitors tried to fend it off with sticks and rocks, Hicks said.

The girl ran away during that attack, but was found dead a short time later with the bear nearby. A park ranger fired at least one shot at the bear before it bolted off.

The woman and her son were flown by helicopter to a Chattanooga hospital, where both were being treated for wounds consistent with a bear attack, Hicks said.

[AJE]

Hunter kills grizzly-polar bear hybrid in northern Canada
By BETH DUFF-BROWN writer
Associated Press
Saturday, May 13, 2006



TORONTO -- A DNA test has confirmed what zoologists, big-game hunters and aboriginal trackers in the far northern reaches of Canada have dreamed of for years: the first documented case of a grizzly-polar bear roaming in the wilds.

Roger Kuptana, an Inuit tracker from the Northwest Territories, suspected the American hunter he was guiding had shot a hybrid bear last month after noticing its white fur was spotted brown and it had the long claws and slightly humped back of a grizzly.

Territorial officials seized the creature, and a DNA test from Wildlife Genetics International, a lab in British Columbia, has confirmed that the hybrid was born of a polar mother and grizzly father.

"It's something we've all known was theoretically possible because their habitats overlap a little bit and their breeding seasons overlap a little bit," said Ian Stirling, a polar bear biologist with the Canadian Wildlife Service in Edmonton. "It's the first time it's known to have happened in the wild."

He said the first person to realize something was different about the bear -- shot and killed on the southern end of Banks Island in the Beaufort Sea -- was Kuptana, the guide.

"These guides know their animals, and they recognized that there were a number of things that didn't look quite right for a polar bear," Stirling said. The bear's eyes were ringed with black, its face was slightly indented, it had a mild hump to its back and long claws.

Stirling said polar bears and grizzlies have been successfully paired in zoos and that their offspring are fertile, but there has been no documented case in the wilds.

Kuptana, a guide from Sachs Harbour in the Northwest Territories, was tracking with Idaho big-game hunter Jim Martell, who had paid $50,000 for a license to hunt polar bears.

The DNA results were good news for the 65-year-old hunter, who was facing a possible $1,000 fine and up to a year in jail for shooting a grizzly. The Northwest Territories Environment and Natural Resources Department now intends to return the bear to Martell.

"It will be quite a trophy," Martell told the National Post last week, before the DNA results were in. He returned to Yellowknife for another hunt, this time for a grizzly bear. He told the newspaper he has dubbed his creature "polargrizz."

Stirling said others in his office have been tossing in jest what to call the hybrid: a "pizzly" or a "grolar bear." One colleague said they ought to call it "nanulak," combining the Inuit names for polar bear -- "nanuk" -- and grizzly bear, which is "aklak."

"He has a remarkable trophy from his perspective and from the perspective of this whole fraternity of people who like to go big-game hunting for trophies," said Stirling. When asked how he felt about the rare beast being killed, he would only say that Canada's polar bear hunt -- which runs from December through the end of May -- is done on a sustainable basis.

Colin Adjun, a wildlife officer in Kugluktuk on the northern mainland in western Nunavut, said he's heard stories before about an oddly colored bear cavorting with polars.

"It was a light chocolate color along with a couple of polar bears," Adjun said. Though people have talked about the possibility of a mix, "it hasn't happened in our area," he said.

Three years ago, a research team spotted a grizzly on uninhabited Melville Island, about 350 kilometers north of where Martell bagged his crossbreed.

Polar bear and grizzly territory also overlap in the Western Arctic around the Beaufort Sea, where the occasional grizzly is known to head onto the sea ice looking for food after emerging from hibernation. Some grizzly bears make it over the ice all the way to Banks Island and Victoria Island, where they have been spotted and shot before.

That might explain how a grizzly got to the region, but few can explain how it managed to get along with a polar bear mate long enough to produce offspring.

AP correspondent Keith Ridler in Boise bureau and The Canadian Press contributed to this story.

[AJE]

Jack the cat chases black bear up tree

Sat Jun 10, 5:52 PM ET
yahoo news

WEST MILFORD, N.J. - A black bear picked the wrong yard for a jaunt, running into a territorial tabby who ran the furry beast up a tree — twice.

Jack, a 15-pound orange and white cat, keeps a close vigil on his property, often chasing small animals, but his owners and neighbors say his latest escapade was surprising.

"We used to joke, 'Jack's on duty,' never knowing he'd go after a bear," owner Donna Dickey told The Star-Ledger of Newark for Friday's editions.

Neighbor Suzanne Giovanetti first spotted Jack's accomplishment after her husband saw a bear climb a tree on the edge of their northern New Jersey property on Sunday. Giovanetti thought Jack was simply looking up at the bear, but soon realized the much larger animal was afraid of the hissing cat.

After about 15 minutes, the bear descended and tried to run away, but Jack chased it up another tree.

Dickey, who feared for her cat, then called Jack home and the bear scurried back to the woods.

"He doesn't want anybody in his yard," Dickey said.

Bear sightings are not unusual in West Milford, which experts consider one of the state's most bear-populated areas.