Black Bears Kill Woman in Canada

[WMR]

Black Bears, not Grizzlies (Brown)

http://www.vancouversun.com/technolo...907/story.html

[Pedaling Fool]

Actually it seems as though only one bear killed the person, but they shot 4 suspects.

It is interesting that the vast majority of black bear attacks seem to be in the colder climates, especially Canada. I'm no expert, but I wonder how much the cold winters play into this, i.e. bears feeling the pressure to fatten up for a long winter. Of the victims in the south many are just little kids or infants.

[Papa D]

That is sad for the woman and the bears

[ChinMusic]

It is interesting that the vast majority of black bear attacks seem to be in the colder climates, especially Canada. I'm no expert, but I wonder how much the cold winters play into this, i.e. bears feeling the pressure to fatten up for a long winter.

I treat Canadian black bears more like grizzlies. It's almost like a different species. On the AT I sleep with my food. I would not do that in Canada.

[Sly]

Actually it seems as though only one bear killed the person, but they shot 4 suspects.

It is interesting that the vast majority of black bear attacks seem to be in the colder climates, especially Canada. I'm no expert, but I wonder how much the cold winters play into this, i.e. bears feeling the pressure to fatten up for a long winter. Of the victims in the south many are just little kids or infants.

Keyword "seem". If anything it's probably because there's more bears up north. If you look at this chart most attacks are in the summer months, or when there's more people.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of..._North_America

[ChinMusic]

Keyword "seem". If anything it's probably because there's more bears up north. If you look at this chart most attacks are in the summer months, or when there's more people.

My guess would be that it has something to do with LESS people up there. Many bears don't develop the fear of humans like they do on the AT corridor. JMO

[SouthMark]

My guess would be that it has something to do with LESS people up there. Many bears don't develop the fear of humans like they do on the AT corridor. JMO

The North American Black Bear Institute seems to agree with you. They attribute the attacks in Canada to bears that have not had much if any contact with people.

[Sly]

My guess would be that it has something to do with LESS people up there. Many bears don't develop the fear of humans like they do on the AT corridor. JMO

I meant more people around in summer time (and more bears in the north), better chance of an encounter.

I really don't follow your logic. Park bears see a ton of people have little fear of humans, and many of your encounters are in National Parks, or established camp grounds. It's the bear you see in the wild that runs.

[Sly]

The North American Black Bear Institute seems to agree with you. They attribute the attacks in Canada to bears that have not had much if any contact with people.

I see a North American Bear Center and a Wildlife Research Institute (which seem to be the same!?) but I don't see a North American Black Bear Institute.

[ChinMusic]

I really don't follow your logic. Park bears see a ton of people have little fear of humans, and many of your encounters are in National Parks, or established camp grounds. It's the bear you see in the wild that runs.

My logic is that the remote bears just look at US as food and not just a source of food. We are nothing special to them.

[WMR]

The posted article suggests that the woman lived in close proximity to the bears, as she reported "problems" in the past; seems that the bear(s) in question were used to and came to rely on human neighbors. Seems that the greater danger is the GSMNP (or similar) bear than the random bear who stumbles on you, or vice versa, in the wild.

[Sly]

My logic is that the remote bears just look at US as food and not just a source of food. We are nothing special to them.

Sorry, but judging by the relatively few bear encounters where someone gets killed, and eaten, I have to disagree. Even griz encounters are relatively rare, and I've seen them run as well.

[ChinMusic]

Sorry, but judging by the relatively few bear encounters where someone gets killed, and eaten, I have to disagree. Even griz encounters are relatively rare, and I've seen them run as well.

Rare for sure. There is no question about that. It is just my opinion that a remote black bear is more of a risk than a typical AT bear.

If I'm wrong, I'm wrong. I am just gonna treat remote black bears as if they were grizzlies. AT bears don't do that to me.

[moytoy]

Could it be that southern black bears are just more vegitarian than cold weather nothern bears? I don't know anything about Canadian bears but our bears eat mostly nuts, plants and berries in the wild.

[SouthMark]

I see a North American Bear Center and a Wildlife Research Institute (which seem to be the same!?) but I don't see a North American Black Bear Institute.

Sorry Sly, I was referring to the North American Bear Center www.bear.org.

[Pedaling Fool]

Keyword "seem". If anything it's probably because there's more bears up north. If you look at this chart most attacks are in the summer months, or when there's more people.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of..._North_America

Yes, "seems" is the keyword and it's no accident that I used it. I don't know about the population aspect, there are quite a few bears down south, not to mention a good population of people. Bears up north definitely need to fatten up more, not just to prepare for winter, but also to recover from winter and they have less time to do it, so it's probably a big factor in their makeup compared to other bears. Notice Florida is not on that list in your link.

I also don't discount the idea that bears have more respect for people as hunters vice prey down here, but like I said in my first post, I'm no expert and don't study these things.

[Pedaling Fool]

Sorry, but judging by the relatively few bear encounters where someone gets killed, and eaten, I have to disagree. Even griz encounters are relatively rare, and I've seen them run as well.

Yes it is rare, but still curious. If one were to publish a list of who's who of predators probably the only bear species that would even have a chance of making the cut would be the polar bear, and definetly not the black bear, regardless of region.

[SouthMark]

According to the NABC forty-seven of the killings were in remote areas of Canada and Alaska where people and bears have little contact. Only 3 were in eastern states (2 in Tennessee, 1 in New York) where encounters are frequent.

[rsmout]

Bottom line: AT hikers shouldn't worry about their personal safety, provided they follow best practices and park regulations when in the parks. The evidence shows that there are more bears in the Northwest and Canada in general; this is where the vast majority of fatal attacks occur. The studies show a high correlation between those attacks and two other factors: the ability of the bear to find its own food (sick and unsuccessful bears are the most dangerous) and dependence on human food sources (garbage, offal, and humans that feed bears). I've hiked in the Olympics and the North Cascades, always saw bears, but they were running away. There was a bear at the Jim and Molly Denton Shelter near Front Royal in May; it was a young nuisance bear that would run away when we displayed protective behavior over the shelter area. In early June I ran into a mother and yearling cub at the spring below the day-use Bird's Nest shelter.

[Buffalo Skipper]

Actually it seems as though only one bear killed the person, but they shot 4 suspects.

It is interesting that the vast majority of black bear attacks seem to be in the colder climates, especially Canada. I'm no expert, but I wonder how much the cold winters play into this, i.e. bears feeling the pressure to fatten up for a long winter. Of the victims in the south many are just little kids or infants.

Interesting question. In the deepest parts of the south, Black Bears (especially the Florida subspecies: Ursus americanus floridanus) do not hibernate, as the temps do not get cold enough (same for the Louisianna subspecies). I have read that there has never been a reported attack on humans by a Florida Black Bear. On the other hand, due in part to dewindling habitat, most Florida black bears have an average weight much lower than those found in the Appalachians, out West or up in the great white north.