If you’re hiking in the woods and you come across a bear, what do you do?
The vintage-styleNPS posterclearly reads: Friends don’t use friends as bear bait.
Bears can be shy just like humans.
However, they sometimes approach humans out of curiosity.
It is important to stay calm.
TheNPSadvises people to appear as (calmly) human as possible by talking.
Photo:skeeze
Move away slowly and sideways from a stationary bear.
Running and tree climbing are both dangerous as bears can pursue much faster than a human can escape.
Everyone should stay calm and move slowly.
Photo:Free-Photos
Special caution should be taken around mother bears with cubs as they are very protective of their offspring.
If a bear attacks, the appropriate response depends on the pop in of bear.
If the bear attacks, fight back and target the bear’s face.
Photo:ArtTower
While this all may sound scary, the good news is bears very rarely hunt humans.
Their aggression is usually a reaction to feeling threatened.
Keeping a safe distance from bears should always be the first step in practicing bear safety.
Photo:skeeze
Remind yourself that it’s a bear’s world, we all just hike in it.
For more safety information regarding bears in National Parks, see the National Park Servicewebsite.
Bears usually keep to themselves in the wild, but they can be curious about humans.
Photo:Natalia_Kollegova
Photo:Free-Photos
Here’s one curious bear hovering around a group.
Luckily, the humans knew to stay still.
Never attempt to escape a bear by climbing a tree.
They are expert climbers.
