Animal Attacks

Animal attacks

BEARS

There is no absolute way to prevent a bear attack. The Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks offers the following suggestions to reduce the possibility of attack.
1. Avoid traveling alone through wilderness country
2. Carry a noise maker such as a bell and make your presence known by talking loudly, clapping, singing or occasionally calling out, particularly in areas with poor visibility, where bear signs are evident and where noises are muffled such as along rivers and streams.
3. Watch for signs of bears, such as droppings, fresh tracks or their strong scent.
4. Be careful near berry patches, heavy bush and streams where salmon are spawning.
5. Never approach a freshly killed animal.
6. If you see a bear, leave the area immediately BUT, Move slowly, do not run, Choose your escape route carefully-never get between a mother and her cubs.
7. Avoid direct eye contact with the bear; eye contact is seen by the bear as a sign of aggression.
8. Pepper spray has been found effective in some cases but not all. It should not be considered a guaranteed form of protection or a substitute for safe habits in the wilderness.
9. Never feed a bear to take pictures or to get a closer look
10. Never keep food in your tent. Store food in the trunk of your car whenever possible.
11. When back country camping, store food where it cannot be reached by bears. Food should be suspended at least 10 feet of the ground and centered between two trees at least 8 feet apart.(B.C.M.E.L.P.Wild bear Advisory)
If you are attacked by a bear:
1. Drop to the ground.
2. Curl up into a ball.
3. Clasp you hands tightly over the back of your neck or if you are carrying a backpack use it to protect you head and neck and remain still.(B.C.M.E.L.P.Wild Bear Advisory)
And if that doesn’t work, do the following:
1. Make noise, ell, clap hands, bang pots, and throw rocks to scare it away.
2. Never approach a bear or let approach you. If it does approach you, retreat slowly, Do not run or climb a tree until it leaves.
3. If you are attacked and cannot get away, fight back, kick, scream, yell--be aggressive.
4. Black bears will sometimes back off if they are challenged
People today must often be reminded that all bears are short-tempered and dangerous; a
bear can kill a human with one swipe of its paw.(Safety in Bear and Cougar CountrySafety in Bear Country)

COUGARS

Wildlife attacks on humans appear to be on the rise. Twenty years ago people were lucky to see a lion in the wild. Attacks or even close encounters were rare.(Seattle-piWild-Animal Attacks)
In the late 1980’s, lion sightings and problems became increasingly common. In Montana, for instance, cougars were seen under boat docks or passing through rural yards midday. They were met on urban walk-paths and pets were mauled or killed. In 1989, a four-year-old boy was fatally attacked while playing in his back yard. Between 1989 and 1995, state officials recorded 122 direct human mountain-lion conflicts, plus 123 incidents connected to lions preying on livestock. The state responded with an aggressive program and boosted lion-hunting quotas and controls. Problem animals or those that lingered near residential areas were destroyed. By 1995, the number of conflicts was cut in half, although potential for trouble still exists.(Seattle-piWild-Animal Attacks)
Cougar attacks have troubled other Western regions, including British Columbia and California.(Seattle-piWild-Animal Attacks)

ALLIGATORS

Alligators have also made news. These potentially large and snappish reptiles are abundant within their range and incidents with humans are common, though seldom fatal. More dramatic and frightening than usual, though, was an attack last June when a 7-year old boy fell from his bike into a canal in Everglades National Park, and was pounced on by a large alligator. The boy’s parents jumped into the water and were able to fight of the large gator. The boy was hospitalized for puncture wounds to his shoulder and chest.(Seattle-piWild-Animal Attacks)
Bison
In the last 15 years, more than 56 people have been injured and two killed by these seemingly easy going beasts. Adult bison stand 5 1/2 feet at the shoulder and weigh between 1,000 and 2,000 pounds.(Seattle-piWild-Animal Attacks)
Nearly all attacks result from provocation, often when someone comes too close in hopes of getting a better picture. When Provoked, bison can charge in a fast burst of about 20 mph. People have been butted, thrown into the air, gored, and trampled. (Seattle-piWild-Animal Attacks)

Coyotes

The rise in coyotes interaction with man is because of an overpopulation of the coyote. This is mainly attributable to a lack of preditation on the coyote. They are very adaptable to changing circumstances of enviroment. Not afraid to live close quartered with man has made frequent undesirable contact happen. From children being bitten to a dead human corpse being eaten upon.

Back to Main Page