DISCLAIMER a) this project is specific to the black bear only. This is not a topic concerning any other species of bear. b) this project is not meant to target dog owners! This project is not trying to imply that dogs or dog owners are bad at all. Hi there. I'm taking a break from my usual content to talk about something serious. I live in western North Carolina, in the Appalachian mountains, a homestead for the ursus americanus, the black bear. People who live with these bears know how to treat them, but sometimes people come and visit and don't treat them correctly. In case you aren't familiar, the black bear is the most docile species of bear. They do not attack humans for food (unless they are starving), they have a diet primarily on nuts, berries, and small animals. Ordinarily, they will live with humans without being bothered. This is specific to the black bear, mind you. Grizzlies, kodiaks, and polar bears are not nearly as calm. There is a law in place that states that a bear that acts hostile without reason towards a person or group of people, or a bear who is suspected diseased or carrying rabies, should be put down. This law exists to keep the bear and human ecosystem safe. Dogs provoking a bear in self-defense is NOT without reason. This is the main message of this psa. Dogs are responsible for the vast majority of black bear attacks. According to ABC news, black bears are very timid animals, and when a dog attacks it, it will do only self-defense, and according to treehugger.com, "In most cases, black bears are relatively shy, only acting aggressively as a last resort." The issue here is when a dog's owner gets caught in the crosshairs and gets hurt, the people may accuse the bears of attacking unprovoked in order to kill the bear. These dog owners usually have a dog off leash, actively attacking the bear before the bear tries to stop it. If a person is caught in between, a bear will associate them with the dog and defend themselves against the humans, too. My grandmother's neighborhood is one of the most populous areas of black bears in my county. Three days ago, she was keeping her fair distance from a group of bears (as one should) and an unleashed dog attacked one. My grandmother left the situation briskly to avoid being caught in the conflict. The dog's owner has not been identified, as the owner was nowhere near the dog. In conclusion, black bears are not aggressors. They defend themselves if they're being attacked, and yet are put down by accusations of unprovoked attacks when the attack was because of a hostile, unleashed dog. Innocent bears are being put down because people don't know how to keep their dogs at bay. Please, spread this message, tell dog owners you know to be careful of how their dogs behave around bears and to follow these procedures when around bears or in an area with bears in it: a) Don't get in between a mother and a cub or cubs. This usually doesn't lead to attacks, but if a mother false-charges (which is quite common) this can provoke a dog near you, resolving in a conflict. b) Keep your dog on a leash. Unleashed dogs are the cause for unprovoked black bear attacks. They are much more likely to attack a bear if they are off a leash. c) Hang a bear bag when camping. Bears will be more attracted to an area if there's accessible food in it. If a dog sees this, things can spiral. d) Keep your trash out as short a time as possible. Same reason as above. e) Keep a distance of at least 25 feet from a bear. Any closer can disturb them. Remember: they were here first. f) DO NOT TURN TAIL AND RUN. A black bear will chase you if you run, similar to a dog. They won't aim to eat you, but it seems like playing to them, which can result in an injury to you or the bear. g) If you want a black bear to go away, make yourself big and make a lot of noise. A pot and pan would work, just shouting would work, and a lot of backpacking packs have bear whistles on them. Those would work. Black bears do not feel scared or threatened when this happens, but they loose interest and lumber on. Thank you for reading this message, and please take these tips into consideration when around our docile friend, the black bear.
