How to behave in areas with bear occurrence
There are no hard and fast rules for the correct behaviour in the areas where meeting a bear is a real possibility. Nevertheless, we have compiled the following list of expert and proven recommendations which may help to reduce the risk of a conflict.
1. Avoid meeting a bear
- Stay on designated hiking trails. When hiking in a closed terrain where you cannot see far, talk, sing, or make ‘unnatural' sounds (e.g. clinking of metal objects, such as hiking sticks), so that bears know you are around and have a chance to avoid you.
- When hiking, stay alert, especially early in the morning, in the evening and at night when bears are the most active. The same caution is recommended during the day in places with thick vegetation where they can be resting, and near their food sources (blackberries, raspberries, animal carcasses etc.). Let them know that you are coming - speak up, break a stick every now and then or tap it against trees.
- Observe bans on entering nature reserves and rest areas and the ban on berry picking in these areas. Respect bears' living space as they respect yours.
- Do not leave any food remains near your camp, nor elsewhere. Unpack only as much food as you are going to eat.
- If you live in an area where bears occur, try to lock your dustbins and have them emptied regularly - do not give bears an opportunity to search their content for leftover food.
- If you keep domestic animals, protect them by an electric fence or trained shepherd dogs. Let the bears know where the boundaries of your territory are. A local group of Friends of the Earth - Hnutí DUHA Valašsko offers electric fencing for rent and also provides free advice for livestock farmers.
2. If you meet a bear, stay calmIf you encounter a bear, stay calm
Despite their size, strength, and possession of teeth and claws, bears are not interested in killing and eating humans. If they are aware of human presence, they do their best to avoid us.
- You too should avoid a bear if you encounter one and it has not noticed you yet. Retreat quietly, monitoring the bear's behaviour as you do so.
- If it notices you, the bear will probably try to escape. Do not look directly into the bear's eyes (it can perceive this as a sign of aggression and react by a counter-attack). Turn away and pretend not to see the bear, speak in a calm voice, cautiously watch its behaviour and retreat slowly. Do not run!
- If the bear follows you, drop a piece of clothing or another object which can attract its attention.
- By no means try to chase the bear away - do not shout or wave your hands above your head. This would only draw its attention to you.
- When the bear stands on its hind legs, it is not a threatening or aggressive gesture, as people sometimes believe. It helps the bear to get a better view (its eyesight is weak) and catch wind to identify by smell what it is encountering. In such case, it is necessary to stay calm and withdraw slowly. It is also a good idea to speak in a deep voice so that the bear recognizes you as a human. Typically it will run away immediately.
- If the bear attacks you, do not try to run away, but kneel down, curl up, protect your neck with your hands and put your elbows to your knees. By doing so, you protect your vital organs. Do not move or leave until the bear is definitely gone. Bears often only pretend to attack and if you do not fight back, they lose interest in you.
- Even close encounters with bears only rarely lead to an attack; typically, the bear just runs away.
- In countries with significant bear populations, such as Slovakia, bear attacks are reported every year, but very few of them end in serious or fatal injury. This is despite the fact that a bear can kill a cow with a single blow. Bears do not intend to kill humans; they are as much afraid of us as we are of them. If surprised by a human, they feel threatened, and if they see no way of escape, they would try to defend themselves. Therefore, it is best to prevent direct conflicts with bears by following the above-mentioned rules.
Attacks can also be prevented by a correct usage of a bear spray, which you can purchase in our e-shop.
