Spring starts March 20, a time for more blooms, blossoms, bees … and bears.
“I expect bears to start coming out soon,” said Mike Smith, wildlife biologist for the state Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Bears have dens in the lowlands as well as fairly high altitudes, but they don’t need snow to hibernate. Female bears breed every other year, so some might emerge with cubs that have been birthed in the den, others with yearlings, Smith said.
“The number of cubs depends on the amount of food in summer and fall, and whether the females are fat and healthy.”
Bears mate in the summer but, because of delayed implantation, the eggs float in the female’s uterus. Later, one egg or more attaches to the uterus — if the mother is healthy.
“If mom is in poor health, the uterus absorbs the eggs,” he said.
The family unit comes out of the den hungry. Searching for food can bring them into human space and possible conflict with hikers or people in the suburbs.
Whether you’re a hiker or just take out the garbage can, test your bear-IQ:
True or false?
Bears are unpredictable.
Bears can’t run downhill.
A bear standing on its hind legs is about to charge.
Once a bear has tasted human food, he won’t eat wild food any more.
Bear bells are the best way to avoid a surprise encounter.
If a bear charges you, climb a tree.
Bears are carnivores.
Bears have poor eyesight.
Bears that wander into inhabited areas such as campsites, rural towns or cottage communities are dangerous.
Shooting or relocating a “nuisance” bear will solve the problem.
Carrying a rifle is safer than bear pepper spray.
One of the most dangerous encounters is getting between a mother black bear and her cubs.
People traveling in bear country are often attacked.
It is dangerous to go into bear country when menstruating.
Play dead during an attack.
What was your score? If you said that all were false, you are extremely bear-aware. The Canada-based Get Bear Smart Society, devoted to educating us about bears, explains its reasoning on its website, www.bearsmart.com.
Part of its mission is to transform people’s attitudes toward bears by replacing fear and misunderstanding with respect and understanding. The theory is that more you learn more about bear behavior, including their body language and vocalization, the safer you will be.
For example, a bear on its hind legs is simply getting a better sight or smell of something that has attracted it.
Ignore the old advice about tying bells to your backpack. Instead, opt for talking loudly and singing
Bears run about 50 feet a second so even if running to climb a tree were a good idea (bears climb faster than humans), it’s a race that you’re bound to lose.
If people are educated, then human-bear interaction stories such as the yearling bear that was killed after accessing trash near a tube park, may decline.
The advice about not curling up into a ball needs more explanation. If a black bear attacks, be aggressive, fight back with everything at your disposal (rock, tree limb, back pack) and energy poured into kicking and hitting the bear.
Fish and Wildlife has an abundance of information on bear attacks at wdfw.wa.gov/living/bears.html, including this advice: “As a last resort should the attack continue, protect yourself by curling into a ball or lying on the ground on your stomach and playing dead.”
Bears are curious and not all approaches represent a danger, especially from bears that have become accustomed to humans.
If you find yourself near a bear and can’t safely move away, avoid direct eye contact, and make yourself as large as possible by waving your hands above your head or standing on a large rock and shouting.
If that doesn’t work, fighting back has a good chance of succeeding.
Sharon Wootton: 360-468-3964 or www.songandword.com.
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