Bear Awareness Training

Identification, education and preparation

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Introduction
This training covers:
 Black bears, brown bears (including grizzlies) and polar
bears
 Characteristics of each type of bear
 Guidance on staying safe in bear country
 Tips on how to respond if you encounter a bear

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Identification: Black Bears
Height: 2-3 feet (.6-.9m) at shoulders
Length: 4-7 feet (1.2-2m) from nose to tip of tail
Weight: Males weigh an average of 150-300 lbs (68-158 kg),
females are smaller. Exceptionally large males have been
known to weigh 500-600 lbs (227-272 kg)
Lifespan: Average lifespan is around ten years, though black
bears can live upward of 30 years in the wild.

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Identification: Black Bears
• Despite their name, black bears can be blue-gray or blue- black, brown,
cinnamon, or even (very rarely) white.
• Black bears are very opportunistic eaters. Most of their diet consists of
grasses, roots, berries, and Insects.
• They will also eat fish and mammals—including carrion— and easily
develop a taste for human foods and garbage.
• Bears who become habituated to human food at campsites, cabins,
or rural homes can become dangerous —thus the frequent reminder:
Please don't feed the bears.

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Habitat: Black Bears
The American black bear is distributed throughout North America, from Canada
to Mexico and in at least 40 states in the United States. Historically, they
occupied nearly all of the forested regions of North America, but in the U.S. they
are now restricted to the forested areas less densely occupied by humans. In
Canada, black bears still inhabit most of their historic range except for the
intensively farmed areas
of the central plains.

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Habitat: Black Bears
• They typically live in forests and are excellent tree climbers,
but are also found in mountains and swamps.
• Highly adaptable and with varied food tastes, the American
black bear inhabits a wide range of habitats, including arid
scrub, southern swamps, and dense coniferous and
deciduous forests.

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Reproduction: Black Bears
• American black bears mate during
the early summer months.
• Females mature after three to four
years, and usually give birth to two
cubs, every other year.
• The young are born in mid-winter in the female's den, and
stay with their mothers for about a year (including up to five
months in the winter den).
• Although slow breeders, American black bears reproduce
faster than brown bears, which helps sustains them from
hunting and other pressures.

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Behavior: Black Bears
 In late summer and fall, American black bears wander far and wide
searching for high-protein foods such as acorns.
 They build fat layers, then retreat to a den, dead tree, or thicket to sleep
during colder months (in warmer areas bears may retreat during the
day).
 Most American black bears are crepuscular—active around dawn and
dusk. In areas of heavy hunting, however, they adapt to nighttime
hours.
 American black bears, except for females with young, generally forage
alone.
 Adult males do not tolerate other bears, except during breeding
season. Females tolerate other bears except for unrelated females.

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Identification: Brown Bears and Grizzlies
Height: shoulder height of (35 to 60 inches (90 to 150 centimeters)
Length: 5.6 to 9.2 ft (1.7 to 2.8 meters) from nose to tip of tail
Weight: Most female grizzlies weigh 330–770 lb (150–350 kilograms), while
males weigh on average 510–990 (lb 230–450 kilograms).
Lifespan: Average lifespan is around 15 to 20 years, though brown and grizzly
bears can live upward of 30 years in the wild.
Description: Fur color is variable from blond to nearly black, grizzly bear fur is
typically brown in color with white tips. A pronounced hump appears on the
shoulders; the hump is a good way to distinguish a black bear from a brown
bear, as black bears do not have this hump. Brown bears have very large and
curved claws, those present on the forelimbs being longer than those on the
hind limbs. Brown bear claws are longer and straighter than those of American
black bears. The claws are blunt, while those of a black bear are sharp. They
may reach 2.0 to 2.4 in (5 to 6 centimeters) and sometimes 2.8 to 3.9 in (7 to 10
centimeters) along the curve.
Note: Grizzlies are a sub-species of brown bears.

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Identification: Brown Bears and Grizzlies
Diet: The grizzly bear is omnivorous, eating anything from
fish, honey and insects to beached whales, grasses,
sedges, bulbs, small mammals. Ninety percent of its diet is
vegetarian. They also feed on dead game
and other carrion. On rare occasions they
kill elk and dig out ground squirrels and
foxes.

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Habitat: Brown Bears and Grizzlies
 Brown bears are found in Asia, Europe and North America giving them
one of the widest ranges of bear species.
 In North America, the species is found in Alaska, south through much of
western Canada, and into portions of the northwestern United States
including Idaho, Montana, Washington and Wyoming, extending as far
south as Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks. They are most
commonly found in Canada.
 Brown bears live in a wide range of habitats; from subalpine mountain,
areas, tundra and dense forest. They typically live in forested habitats
with access to rivers, lakes and streams.

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Reproduction: Brown Bears and Grizzlies
 Grizzly bears have one of the lowest reproductive rates of all terrestrial
mammals in North America.
 Females mature after five years.
 They mate during the summer months.
 Newborn bear cubs are usually born in January or February. They stay
in the mother’s den until April or May, then emerge to follow her in
search of food.
 The cubs normally stay with their mother for one or more years, until the
female is ready to mate again and raise another brood.

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Behavior: Brown Bears and Grizzlies
 Hibernation: Duration depends on habitat. Generally October
through March. Hibernating brown bears can awaken if
necessary.
 Socialization: Solitary except during mating season. They do get
together with other bears along the banks of fast-flowing streams
and rivers during the salmon breeding period when the fish are
going upriver to spawn.
 Mating season: May to July are the usual breeding months.
 Behavior: Grizzly bears climb trees to find honey and are
accomplished swimmers. They use their claws and powerful jaws
to fight, catch their food and to mark their territory on the trunks
of trees.

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Identification: Polar Bears
Height: 130–160 cm (51–63 in) at shoulders
Length: 7.9–9.8 ft feet from nose to tip of tail for
males and 5.9–7.9 ft for females
Weight: Males weigh an average of 770–1,500 lbs
(400 to 600 kg), females are about half that, 330 to 750 lbs
(200 to 300 kg females).
Lifespan: Average lifespan is twenty to thirty years in the wild
Age at Maturity: 3 to 5 years
Description: The polar bear is white, often called nanook of the north or great white bear. They are
excellent swimmers, with a long necks, powerful sloping shoulders, paddling membranes that web half
the length of its forepaws and a thick, oily fur that sheds seawater and helps insulate the bear against
the cold. Polar bears can swim for 80 Km in ice cold water without resting, and remain astonishingly
agile at the end of it. They have a layer of subcutaneous fat, very similar to the blubber fat of sea
mammals. That can be as thick as 10 cm when winter starts, which ensures the retention of body heat
and a low density that enables the animal to float more easily in water while swimming. The polar bear
is the world's largest land carnivore and also the largest bear.

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Identification: Polar Bears
Diet: Their diet consists of seals, narwhals, walruses, belugas, grass,
kelp and berries. The polar bear is the most carnivorous member of the
bear family, and most of its diet consists of ringed and bearded seals.
The Arctic is home to millions of seals, which become prey when they
surface in holes in the ice in order to breathe, or when they haul out on
the ice to rest. Polar bears
hunt primarily at the interface
between ice, water, and air;
they only rarely catch seals
on land or in open water.

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Habitat: Polar Bears
 Annual ice adjacent to shorelines throughout
the circumpolar Arctic. Throughout the
circumpolar Arctic, as far south as
Newfoundland
 The polar bear tends to frequent areas where
sea ice meets water. They are often regarded
as a marine mammal because they spend
many months of the year at sea. Their
preferred habitat is the annual sea ice covering
the waters over the continental shelf and the
Arctic inter-island archipelagos.
 Annual ice contains areas of water that appear
and disappear throughout the year as the
weather changes. The changes force the polar
bears to go onto land and wait through the
months until the next freeze-up.

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Reproduction: Polar Bears
 Polar bears mate in April and May.
 The females dig a maternity den in the Fall. It consists of a narrow
entrance tunnel leading to one to three chambers.
 On average, each litter has two cubs.
 The cubs are born between November and February. They are born
blind, covered with a light down fur. They typically nurse for two and a
half years.
 The family remains in the den until mid-February to mid-April.

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Behavior: Polar Bears
 Polar bears spend most of their waking hours hunting food to fuel their immense body
and to build up the thick layer of protective fat to keep them warm in icy winds and water
and to serve as sustenance during the long Arctic winter night.
 Unlike grizzly bears, polar bears are not territorial. Although, stereotyped as being
voraciously aggressive, they are normally cautious in confrontations, and often choose to
escape rather than fight.
 Satiated polar bears rarely attack humans unless severely provoked, whereas hungry
polar bears are extremely unpredictable and are known to kill and sometimes eat
humans.
 Polar bears are stealth hunters, and the victim is often unaware of the bear's presence
until the attack is underway. They do most of their hunting in the evening or at night.
 In general, adult polar bears live solitary lives. Yet, they are often seen playing together
for hours and even sleeping in an embrace. Cubs are especially playful. Among young
males in particular, play-fighting may be a means of practicing for serious competition
during mating seasons later in life.
 Polar bears have a wide range of vocalizations, including bellows, roars, growls, chuffs
and purrs.

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Working in Bear Country
The best strategy to staying safe when working in bear country is to
avoid confronting bears.
– This training will provide guidance on how to avoid bears.
– It will also provide valuable information on understanding bear behavior
– How to respond to a bear encounter and the best way to respond to a bear
based on the bears response to you.
Know that violent encounters with bears are rare. On average there are
three deaths per year from bear encounters in North America.
You are ultimately responsible for your safety in bear country! It’s
up to you to understand bear behavior and take appropriate
precautions when working in bear country!

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Safe Work Practices
 Bears are, above and beyond all else, wild animals.
 While they may seem cuddly and cute, or even appear to be friendly,
they are very strong and powerful and there is always the potential for
danger when you come into contact with them.
 Bears will ordinarily avoid people, yet sometimes a stray cub will
wander into the area where you are.
– A female bear will be provoked more quickly if you are between her and her
cubs or if she feels they are threatened.
– If you are in the vicinity of a cub bear, don’t approach it, and make certain
that you stay clear of the animal.
– Make a great deal of noise to attempt to frighten him or her away from you.
 Bears don’t like surprises any more than you do.

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Precautions
 Make sure they know you’re in the area. Sing, chant, wear bells, talk,
etc.
 In bear area, don’t hike alone, and if you must, wear bear bells and
carry bear spray.
 Your dog is going to disturb a bear if you are walking in heavy brush
and he is roaming free. If you take your dog with you, don’t let him run
unleashed.
 Know the signs of a bear. Know what their tracks, droppings and digs
look like. Pay attention to what you see!

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Precautions
 Store food in your car trunk or place food in a bag, backpack, or pannier
and hang from a tree branch at least ten feet above the ground and four
feet from the tree trunk.
 Garbage: Pack out all garbage. Never bury it.
 No greasy food: Avoid cooking smelly or greasy foods. Sleep some
distance uphill from your cooking area and food storage site. Keep
sleeping bags and personal gear clean and free of food odor. Don’t
sleep in the same clothes you wore while cooking.
 Hunters: Where hunting is permitted, keep game meat out of reach of
bears.
 Fishy Stuff: Dispose of fish entrails by puncturing the air bladder and
dropping in deep water where it will decompose naturally.
 Horses: Horse pellets should be stored the same as food.

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Bear Body Language
If you do meet a bear in the wild, you should know how to interpret its
body language and how best to react to avoid injury.
– Bears do not stand on their hind legs as a threatening gesture; often
they are simply trying to get a better look.
– A bear that swings its head from side to side is not winding up for the
big charge; it is looking for an escape route.
– Signs of dangerous agitation in a bear include:
• lowering its head and looking straight at you
• flattening its ears
• popping its jaws and making a moaning or barking noise
• salivating
• charging
• if the bear is agitated, do not stare back or turn away

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If You Encounter a Bear…
Your response to a bear encounter could save your life. If you
encounter a bear…
– And it doesn’t see you, STOP! Remain Calm. Slowly retreat (don’t
run), keep watching the bear as you walk away.
– If the bear sees you, STOP! Remain Calm. Assess the situation. Talk
in a non-threatening voice. Wave arms slowly. Walk away slowly.
Don’t run. Watch the bear as you slowly retreat.
– If the bear approaches, try to determine why? STOP. Remain Calm.
Don’t run away. Get ready to use bear deterrent. Group together if
with other people. Keep your backpack on, it may protect you in case
of an attack.

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Access the Situation
Is the bear acting defensively? Is it trying to protect cubs or startled? The
closer you are to the bear when it notices you, the more likely it will respond
defensively. Most defensive responses stop short of an attack. The bear may
charge, but will likely leave.
• Talk to it in a calm voice.
• If it charges, stand your ground.
• Wave your arms in the air.
• Don’t shout or throw anything.
• Slowly leave if it’s not advancing.
• If the bear does NOT stop and seems intent on an attack use your
deterrent.
• If it attacks, fall to the ground, face down and cover head and neck with
hands, legs spread. Do not cry out or fight back.
Remember: If a defensive bear attacks – PLAY DEAD!

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Access the Situation
Non-defensive response. The bear is curious, and may be testing dominance
or see you as potential prey. If curious, the bear may approach slowly with
ears cocked forward, head and nose raised up.
Predatory approach. The bear will appear intensely focused on you. Head will
be up, ears erect confidently and persistently. Although rare, predatory
bears that are food conditioned have been known to break into structures
and attack people.
– In both cases above, your response should be ASSERTIVE.
– Move out of the bear’s way. If the bear follows you, this is a dangerous
situation. Respond aggressively by shouting, waving hands, appearing as
large as possible, staring the bear in the eye, threatening and using a
deterrent.
If the bear attacks – FIGHT BACK!

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Prevention
Prevention is key to staying safe in bear country. Travel in groups.
Make your presence known. Make noise. Be extremely cautious in
areas where bears cannot detect you (can’t hear due to rushing water
or can’t smell you)
– Look for signs of bears – foot prints, droppings, claw marks on trees
– Don’t’ camp in areas bears are likely to be using
– Keep dogs on a leash
– Bears are active early in the morning and in the evening
– If you see scavengers or carcasses, stay away from area
– Be careful with food and garbage

For more information on bear safety contact Jeannie Armstrong/SEA to

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Quiz

Note: You will have one hour to complete the quiz. If you take longer, you will get an error.

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