Working in Bear Country: The Basics
On June 20, 2017 trail runner Patrick Cooper, 16 years old, was killed by a predatory black bear in the Chugach Mountains outside of Anchorage, Alaska. On June 21st two soil scientists working at Pogo Mine, 70 miles east of Fairbanks, were attacked. One, 27-year-old Erin Johnson, died and the other was injured.
For the last 130 years, Alaska has had six reported deaths from black bear attacks but this summer has been a tragic one, bringing the number of black bear caused deaths up to eight.
When I started my fieldwork in May I carried bear spray and yelled the occasional “Hey Bear!” as I worked but I didn’t really take the threat seriously. Upon hearing of Johnson’s death, a fellow early career female field scientist, I took the warning to heart. I began playing music and podcasts loudly through my phone as I moved through the berry patches I study and practiced pulling out my bear spray in case I ever needed to do so quickly.
A few days ago I had the opportunity to take a bear safety class led by a retired Alaskan wildlife biologist. It was three hours packed with information but I thought I’d pull out a few tidbits to share.
Natural History
First off, the names black bear (Ursus americanus) and brown (aka grizzly or Kodiak) bear (U. arctos horribilis) can be misleading. Black bears can be cinnamon, brown, grey, or white in coloring while grizzly bears range from a light honey-brown to a dark mahogany-brown. The picture below is a cinnamon colored black bear with cinnamon and black cubs.
Grizzly bears evolved in open habitats but have spread to forested regions while black bears are only found in or around forests.
The evolutionary history of the two species plays into their behavior during encounters particularly when it comes to a mother with cubs. Female grizzly bears on the ancient tundra or grasslands where they evolved had no place to hide when threatened by males, the only option was to fight. Female black bears and their cubs can retreat up a tree when threatened and in Alaska black bear mothers don’t strongly defend their young for this reason.
Knowing which bear you are looking at can completely change how you should react to an encounter. Montana Fish and Wildlife put together a bear identification tutorial and online test - I highly suggest you review the material and take the test.
Human and Bear Interaction
Bears don’t have a different set of behaviors they use for humans so it is up to us to learn how to read bear to the best of our ability.
First, NEVER RUN. Running will trigger a chase response.
Bears have a personal bubble just as we do, the more we can do to broadcast our location the better. Most attacks occur when individuals stumble across a bear at close range, less than 20m. When walking in shrubby terrain, especially when near a loud waterway, talk with your field partner, sing, make noise, and have your bear spray in hand.
If you do stumble across a bear that hasn’t noticed you, quietly retreat. If it notices: talk calmly, make yourself look big by waving your arms out, and slowly retreat. If it stands it’s mostly curious and getting a better look or smell, if it follows, stand your ground (terrifying, I know) and prepare your deterrent (bear spray or gun). The longer the bear keeps its attention on you the louder you should be.
Bear spray has a range of at least 25 feet, but it is almost guaranteed you will get some in your face too. Take a breath before using and if in windy conditions use your hands to keep your eyelids open. According to our instructor he couldn’t open his eyes for 40 minutes after getting bear spray in his face.
If things continue to escalate and it gets to the point of contact here is where it is critical to know what species you are dealing with.
Nearly all grizzly attacks are defensive so get on your stomach, cover your neck, spread your legs a little so it can’t flip you over, and play dead. Don’t get up until you are sure the bear has left the area. If an encounter gets to the point of contact with a black bear it is most likely a predatory male. FIGHT like your life depends on it, because it does.
Avoidance
Of course, it’s best to never encounter the bears while working in the first place.
Work in groups, talk, make noise while moving around. When camping keep a clean camp: cook and store food, toiletries, and garbage in a bear proof container at least 200 feet away from where you are sleeping.
The class instructor suggested a device called CritterGitter which acts as a motion activated alarm for your camp site.
TL;DR
Make noise when moving through bear country
Give any sighted bears lots of space
Keep a clean camp
Stay calm, look big, DON’T RUN
There is a lot to learn but thinking clearly while in bear country will get you a long way.