Black bear attacks 12 yr old Michigan girl

[illabelle]

Brief article without much detail:

http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2...-michigan?lite

[hikerboy57]

sounds more likely she ran when she saw the bear and then the bear chased and attacked.instinct.

[Pedaling Fool]

This is why I'm always open-minded and don't believe anything the "officials" say:

"Bear attacks often occur when a mother is protecting her cubs."

That is counter to Black bear behavior ... boneheads

There's no telling what happened, because the article is sh1t. However, I wouldn't be surprised if the bear was stalking the kid and this was a predatory attack. It's very possible that her running triggered its instinct, but also possible that this bear was stalking as well.

[moytoy]

Strange. A 12 year old girl. Makes me wonder in she might have been wearing some type of scent as young girls are likely to do.

[Sly]

This is why I'm always open-minded and don't believe anything the "officials" say:

"Bear attacks often occur when a mother is protecting her cubs."

That is counter to Black bear behavior ... boneheads

I've never heard that before.

[Pedaling Fool]

I've never heard that before.

Have not heard what? The part in quotation is a direct quotation from the article. Surely everyone here knows that black bears don't protect their young from humans. Grizzlies on the other hand...

[SouthMark]

I've never heard that before.

Sly, the Black Bear Institute in Ely, MN have been studying black bear behavior for over 40 years and contend that a sow with cubs will run her cubs up a tree and then run away.

[Pedaling Fool]

I read another article on this incidence and it said she was out for a jog. http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/08/16...hern-michigan/

Got me thinking about the very well known triggered-instinct that running has on a predator. However, I'm starting to think that the simple act of running triggering an attack is overstated; obviously if you have a bear encounter, the last thing you want to do is run. But I do wonder what percentage of bear encounters would result in an attack if everyone just ran away; by some things I've read it would put that number very high, but I'm kind of skeptial...

I wonder how many trail runners on the AT and else where have ran by bears. In other words, I don't think the simple act of running (on its own) triggers an attack, but yes it does trigger something in a predator, especially one that is looking for food.

[slow mind]

It's an animal. There will be encounters from time to time. Why do people always struggle to figure this out? I had a Gosshawk chase me down and attack me once, a chipmunk bite my finger, bitten by a spider and the list goes on. (don't get me started on cows, they are evil and should be eliminated) Why is it such a big deal when something happens with a bear?

[Colter]

It's an animal. There will be encounters from time to time. Why do people always struggle to figure this out? I had a Gosshawk chase me down and attack me once, a chipmunk bite my finger, bitten by a spider and the list goes on. (don't get me started on cows, they are evil and should be eliminated) Why is it such a big deal when something happens with a bear?

Thousands of people are injured every day by animals: cattle, horses, dogs, snakes, insects etc. Perhaps 300 people are killed by animals other than bears in the U.S. per year, about 1 person a year is killed by a bear here.

This is a news story only because it involved a bear and people are inordinately afraid of bears, and it's a sure bet people will find the story interesting.

[MuddyWaters]

sounds more likely she ran when she saw the bear and then the bear chased and attacked.instinct.

Yep.

When she quit running, it quit mauling her.

Then she got up and ran away again.

And then it chased her again.

[Odd Man Out]

Here is the link for the "black bears don't defend cubs" from the Bear Research Center in Ely MN.

http://www.bear.org/website/bear-pag...-her-cubs.html

The rest of the articles in that section are also interesting

http://www.bear.org/website/bear-pag...-a-humans.html

I note that the original news story fails to point out the important fact that the Yellowstone incident was with a Grizzly vs a Black Bear in MI. However, they did point out that these two incidences were "unrelated". O really?

[Sly]

Have not heard what? .....Surely everyone here knows that black bears don't protect their young from humans. .

No, not everyone...

http://www.theblueridgehighlander.co...Bear/index.php

[Sly]

Sly, the Black Bear Institute in Ely, MN

Is that like Wingfoot and his former Center for Appalachian Trail Studies, or Warren's AT Institute?

[Drybones]

It's an animal. There will be encounters from time to time. Why do people always struggle to figure this out? I had a Gosshawk chase me down and attack me once, a chipmunk bite my finger, bitten by a spider and the list goes on. (don't get me started on cows, they are evil and should be eliminated) Why is it such a big deal when something happens with a bear?

Good point.......................

[Drybones]

Sly, the Black Bear Institute in Ely, MN have been studying black bear behavior for over 40 years and contend that a sow with cubs will run her cubs up a tree and then run away.

I'd give any mother with young the right of way, for any rule there are 12 exceptions.

[Migrating Bird]

Is that like Wingfoot and his former Center for Appalachian Trail Studies, or Warren's AT Institute?

Can't speak for the others however, I had the pleasure of seeing a slide presentation and meeting Dr. Lynn Rodgers. http://www.bearstudy.org/website/abo...rs,-ph.d..html His research regarding black bears is very impressive.

Here are some of the points I remember pertaining to BLACK BEARS, not Grizzly Bears.

- Mothers will not attack to protect their young, Dr. Rodgers showed a slide of a mother and 2 cubs on the side of a tree. The next slide, he was holding the cubs by the scruff of their necks and the mother was hauling ass in the opposite direction.
- Black bears have evolved over the last 400 years from a "fight animal" to a "flight animal" due to man.
- Black bears telegraph their intent by facial expressions, lip curling, jaw popping, etc.
- They are not dogs, do not approach, try to feed them, pet them, give them their space, they are primarily looking for food.
- If a bear (bluff) charges you, make yourself as big as possible and step forward and stomp you foot, that usually stops them in their tracks.
- Climbing a tree is worthless, they are excellent climbers.
- If attacked, curl up in a ball, lay still, do not run.
- He has radio collared bears without tranquilizers - a little peanut butter and you can get a bear to do about anything.

[rickb]

Here are some of the points I remember pertaining to BLACK BEARS, not Grizzly Bears.

- If attacked, curl up in a ball, lay still....

.

Could you double check that one as it pertains to black bears and/or provide a source?

[Pedaling Fool]

Could you double check that one as it pertains to black bears and/or provide a source?

Yes, I also question that; supposedly that's better tactic on grizzlies because their attacks are NOT primarily predatory in nature, where black bear attacks are generally predatory.

I also question this: "- Black bears have evolved over the last 400 years from a "fight animal" to a "flight animal" due to man."

I'm sure they learned to flee from man when native Americans first arrived thousands of years ago.

[Pedaling Fool]

It's an animal. There will be encounters from time to time. Why do people always struggle to figure this out?

I'll admit it can be hell at times inside my head, but it must be totally boring in yours. That's what we do, we're a species that contemplates everything, including our own excrement.