The earthy aroma of moss and leaves wander through your
nostrils as you set up your tent for a good weekend camping.
You place your little camp stove just next to it.
You’re giddy at the idea of rolling out of your sleeping
bag and getting to breakfast right away the next morning.
You set your cooler with the bacon ready nearby too.
You go to sleep with unwashed dishes, believing
you’re safe because of the bear spray next to you.
Little do you know, you just set yourself in a “bear trap”.
You’ll soon wish someone had told you about
the triangle technique before your trip.
When cyclist Leah Lokan arrived in Ovando Montana, she learned what
happens when you don’t follow the triangle technique the hard way.
On July 6th, 2021, Leah Lokan, while on a bike journey
with her sister and their mutual friend, stopped to
camp near the town of Ovando, Montana for the night.
The town is a popular bike stop along the Great Divide
Mountain Bike Route, a 2,700 mile route, and thousands
flood in during the summer to rest up between bike treks.
Leah’s sister and their friend chose to stay in a hotel that
night, while she elected to set up a tent behind the Brand Bar
Museum with a couple they’d met along the way, Joe and Kim Cole.
By 7pm, Leah had her tent set up, and she was preparing for bed.
At the same time, a grizzly bear was trying to
break into a trailer about 4 miles to the west.
Leah had some food in her tent, snacks, lentils,
and some dried blueberries in her toiletry bag.
Her bike, which sat about 10 feet away from her tent, likewise contained
some food, beef jerky, trail mix, granola bars, and a baked potato.
About 8 hours later, at 3 o'clock in the morning,
Leah woke up to the sound of a bear sniffing at
her head through the thin nylon of her tent canvas.
Her eyes shot open, and she shouted “Bear! Bear!”.
Kim and Joe leapt from their tent, toting a can of
bear spray and making as much noise as possible.
Luckily, the bear fled.
Leah, understandably spooked, took
steps to make her camp more bear-safe.
There weren’t any trees nearby that she could hang her food from,
so she moved the snacks in her tent out to a nearby building.
Once she was settled, she and the Coles went back to
their respective tents, and after a few moments of quiet
stillness, listening to the sounds of a silent wilderness
encroaching on their campsite, they all fell to sleep.
Unfortunately, Leah forgot to remove the food from
her bike, or move her bike away from her tent.
Not only that, but there were still some
dried blueberries in her bag inside her tent…
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05 a ruckus woke the Coles again, but now, it wasn’t
Leah’s shouting that lifted them from sleep, but
the sounds of the bear attack coming from her tent.
Joe rushed from his tent, screaming and waving his
arms, while Kim blasted a whistle, but to no avail.
They watched the bear “pounce up and down” on Leah and her
tent, as they approached, drenching the animal with bear spray.
The bear sat up, leered at Joe, averting its head as
the couple approached, before turning away and leaving.
Joe and Kim hurtled over to the tent to see if Leah was ok.
She was not.
The two immediately sought help, calling 911, and
emergency medical teams were dispatched on the double.
By the time they arrived however, it was too late.
The Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee, in an official
report on the incident, noted that the bear had become
tragically “food conditioned” and exhibited a “predatory
instinct” which was what prompted the bear to kill Leah Lokan.
They also attributed the Coles’ “aggressive
response and action” with scaring off the bear.
Unfortunately though, paramedics found “no obvious signs
of life” when they got to Leah and began performing CPR.
The same report determined that her death was “instantaneous”
as the bear broke her neck, severing her spinal cord.
Leah’s friend, Mary Flowers, said that “she loved these kinds of
adventures … she had a passion for life that was out of the ordinary”
The Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks agency tracked
the bear’s behaviour and determined that it was
a male grizzly bear weighing around 400 pounds.
The agency also informed the public that they found
DNA from the bear at the scene, and if they caught
one with a matching signature, they’d put it down.
It’s been said that shark attacks are so
infrequent that it’s irrational to fear them.
Sharks don’t want to attack you, and they’ll let you go if
they don’t like how you taste, but is the same true of bears?
Have bear attacks increased?
Bear attacks are less frequent than you’d think.
According to an article published in Scientific Reports, a total
of 664 brown bear attacks between 2000 and 2015 had been found.
That is, North America with 183 attacks, Europe
with 291, and Russia, Iran, and Turkey with 190.
The question remains though, are bears attacking people more over time?
According to an article by Sage Marshall, editorial writer over at
Field and Stream, there were a number of fatal bear attacks in 2021,
however it was on par with other “high-fatality” years of the past.
Marshall does say however, that bear conflicts, that is any encounter
between bears, humans, livestock, and property, had increased that year.
Marshall points to the rise of grizzly
bear populations to explain this in part.
Grizzly populations hit a low back in the 1970s, and
their numbers have only climbed since then, expanding
their habitats while conflicting with human habitations.
A second reason that we’re seeing more grizzly bear encounters
with humans, is that more people have been going out to
the woods amidst the lockdowns of the coronavirus pandemic.
In order to escape the monotony of lockdown, while still
doing their best to adhere to public health recommendations,
they chose to go out to the country for some well needed R&R.
US Fish and Wildlife Service Grizzly Bear Recovery Coordinator
Hilary Cooley says that “There’s record visitation
at National Park Service and Forest Service areas.
Every biologist I talk to is like ‘there are people camped all
over the place.’ And a lot of people are coming from elsewhere and
don’t know that their gas grill or cooler that they leave on the
picnic table on the campsite will be a potential bear attractant.”
So what are bear attractants?
What actually makes bears want to come and sniff out our campsites?
In terms of North America, there are two species of bears that
you’re most likely to encounter when you’re out in the woods.
Brown bears—Ursus arctos, and Black bears—Ursus americanus.
By the way, brown bears and grizzly bears are the same thing.
Let’s talk about black bears first.
They live as far north as Alaska, and as far south as Mexico,
though their ranges have decreased from what they were originally.
Black bears will eat almost anything
they can get their furry little mitts on.
In their natural habitat, they mostly eat plant
material; in the summer and fall, they tend toward
berries and nuts, but they’re not against meat.
They’ll prey on fish, small animals, and birds if they can catch them.
In the springtime, they’ll hunt deer fawns,
moose, caribou, and elk calves as well.
If they can’t catch live prey, Black bears will also snack on carrion.
What’s interesting is that we often think of bears as
honey-driven, but really they’re more interested in eating
the bee larvae inside beehives than the honey that they
make— which also changes my opinion of Winnie the Pooh.
Brown bears, or as they’re otherwise called, Grizzly
Bears, are more dangerous compared to Black bears.
They’re the second largest North American
land predator right behind the Polar Bear.
Brown bears are usually solitary, but we’re seeing more
groups of bears living together at certain times of the year.
In terms of where they live, they used to operate throughout the
entire western US and south into Mexico, now they only occupy 2%
of the land they once did, found primarily in northwestern North
America, and in national parks like Yellowstone and Glacier.
Thanks to conservation efforts, their populations
have been increasing across the continent.
While many consider Grizzly Bears meat
eaters, they’re actually omnivorous!
Much like Black Bears, they usually forage on nuts and
berries, and depend on plant matter for most of their diet.
They will eat mammals and they’re known to
prey on migrating salmon leaping upstream.
The cold reality is that North American bears will eat
just about anything… or anyone, if they’re hungry enough.
So what prompt bear attacks?
Hilary Cooley says that the majority of bear
attacks hinge on bears’ natural defensiveness.
Many attacks start over a mother bear
protecting her cubs, or a bear defending a kill.
Bears will also strike out at perceived threats.
For example, when a bear is close to a person,
but they can’t quite make out what they are.
That said, the report on Leah Lokan’s death by the Interagency
Grizzly Bear Committee writes that the Grizzly that took
her life had become tragically, quote “food conditioned”.
What is food conditioning then?
It’s essentially the same thing as training your dog,
like we’ve talked about at length in a previous video.
A “food conditioned” bear has learned that it
can get food, if it performs certain behaviours.
Something as simple as knowing that if I shake this bush I can
get berries in the springtime, or if I stand on this rock I can
reach the big fat salmon as they try to swim upstream, or that
if I growl at this stupid looking ape I can get their Doritos.
Bears can scavenge messy campsites, garbage cans, or even
raid dumpsites, finding food left over from human activity.
The problem is, when a bear has grown accustomed to human
food, it will go to great lengths to get more of it.
If you lived your whole life eating acorns off the
ground, and then I gave you a chocolate bar, you’d
probably prefer to keep eating chocolate forever.
The more bears and humans cross paths and interact, the more
opportunities there are for both species to harm each other.
If a bear knows that campsites are places where it can get food,
and people leave food out, why would the bear go anywhere else?
There are also “habituated bears”, which are
somewhat similar to food conditioned bears.
A bear that has had enough contact with humans that they know we
won’t hurt them, and they’ll continue doing whatever they were doing.
The worst case scenario for bear conservationists is
when an animal becomes food conditioned and habituated.
Think of seagulls on the beach.
They hang out around humans often enough that they know they
can escape us easily, and shouldn’t be afraid—habituated.
They also know we love to drop food on the ground
so they associate us with snackies—food conditioned.
The most important thing to do to avoid encounters with
bears is to be as loud as possible, and keep your distance.
Unless a bear is habituated, it’ll most likely
avoid you if it knows you’re in the area.
If you’re in bear country, make sure you put in
the effort to be noticeable using bear whistles,
bear bells, and simply clapping and shouting.
But how should you prepare your camp then?
If you’re camping in the backcountry, or at national parks outside
of a designated campsite, keep an eye out for signs of wild animals.
Things like footprints, berry bushes, waterways,
and other through routes for wildlife.
If you have the money, it’s very helpful to
have a bear-proof container to hold your things.
There are many different kinds, but they all accomplish the same goal.
Prevent a bear from smelling your snacks,
and keep them from eating them if they try.
On the same note, keep all smelly substances in your car, or hung
at least 4 meters off the ground from a tree away from your camp.
That includes things like human and pet food, garbage,
dirty camp stoves, water you may have used cooking
or washing, recyclable materials, and toiletries.
However, hanging your smelly snacks right above your tent
doesn’t do much for keeping bears away from you as you sleep.
Yeah, it’s 4 meters off the ground, but the
bear is gonna step on you to try and get it.
This is where the triangle method comes into play.
It’s actually really easy.
Just keep your tent, cooking area, and food storage at opposing
corners of an equilateral triangle about 50 metres apart, so even
if a bear does enter your camp, it’ll be drawn away from your tent.
Also try to keep foods, especially
smelly foods out and away from your tent.
If you spill beef au jus all over your sleeping bag, it won’t
really matter that you’ve hung your stinky leftovers from a tree.
If you do end up in an encounter with a bear, it’s not too late.
You can still deescalate the situation.
First thing to do is something I’ve been working on my entire life!
Identify yourself as a human by talking calmly,
not making any sudden moves, and slowly waving
your arms to make yourself look as big as possible.
Like we learned earlier, bears will hunt,
but they’d rather go after berries and nuts.
The bear may come closer, or rear up on its hind legs, but
a standing bear isn’t usually threatening, but curious.
You should not, under any circumstances, run away from a bear.
They will chase animals that run.
If the bear is approaching you, stand your ground.
If it’s staying where it is, make sure that it has an escape
route, and leave the area moving sideways and backing away slowly.
That way, you can keep an eye on the bear,
and sideways movement isn’t threatening.
It’s very important to stay calm, and not
make any sudden movements, or loud noises.
Again, like we learned earlier, bears are naturally defensive,
and sometimes they’ll charge you in a bluff to scare you off.
They can also growl, snap their jaws, or lay their ears back to show
you they mean business, but as long as you keep calm, continue to
calm in low tones, you can show the bear you don’t want no trouble.
Bears, like most animals, are intimidated by groups.
If you see a bear, stick together and pick up small children.
Oh, and speaking of children, if you see a bear with
cubs, it’s definitely a mother and her children.
Never, ever, put yourself between them.
She will kill you.
I can’t stress this enough.
She will destroy you.
There are different strategies to survive bear attacks
depending on the species, but before we get to that,
let’s talk about bear spray, which is not a musical.
Joe and Kim Cole sprayed the Grizzly that took Leah Lokan’s life
with an entire can, after Leah had already emptied her bear spray
on it, but it did little to stop the bear, so is it really worth it?
Bear spray is an aerosolized mixture of red pepper
oil that inflames the eyes, basically pepper spray.
It should be used only as a deterrent when the bear is at close
range, about 20-30 feet away, or 6-10 meters for full effectiveness.
Unfortunately, much like pepper spray on humans, it
hurts a lot but some individuals can push through it,
so remember that bear spray isn’t a gold Mario star
that’ll make you invincible, it’s a last line of defence.
In the words of the Alaska state government, “bear spray is
no substitute for preventative behaviour and preparation.”
If you’re attacked by a Black Bear, do not play dead.
Using all the tips we’ve mentioned, try to make your way to
a building or vehicle and lock yourself away from the bear.
If you can’t escape, fight the bear by hitting it in
the face and muzzle with any objects you have available.
Like most animals, if you hurt it, it’ll probably decide that
you aren’t worth the trouble, no matter how delicious you smell.
If you’re attacked by a Grizzly Bear, like Leah was, play dead
by laying flat on your stomach with your hands behind your neck.
If you have a backpack, don’t take it
off, regardless of the species of bear.
In the event of an attack, the bear will
tear into the bag instead of your body.
Brown Bears may also try to turn you over to get at your squishy tummy
organs, so spread your legs to keep yourself from being flipped over.
If playing dead isn’t working, and the bear is continuing the
attack, as a last resort, fight back with all your strength.
Hit the bear in the face and muzzle, just like with Black Bears.
With all this in mind, I need to stress how unlikely
it is that you can successfully fight off a bear.
Adult Grizzly Bears weigh, at the lowest, upwards of
250 pounds, so the best way to survive a bear attack
is to never encounter a bear in the first place.
Bear proofing your camp with the triangle method, ensuring all
food is locked up, and all the other tips we’ve covered today
will make sure that your camping trip is as safe as it can be.
I don’t know about you, but personally, I love bears.
Every year, Katmai National Park’s annual fat bear week
competition asks for votes for the fattest, fuzziest bears.
The crown this year went to 747, marking his 3rd win in a row!
Oh, that’s one adorable chonk right there.
The real tragedy with stories like Leah’s is that
for every bear attack, there are two victims.
A human that was attacked, sometimes mauled to death
like we saw earlier, and a bear who, through no
fault of their own, became intertwined in our world.
A habituated, food conditioned bear is significantly more likely
to find itself in hostile contact with humans, and in the event of
an attack, the authorities have no choice but to euthanize them.
Sometimes, even more tragically, when a mother bear has attacked
a human after defending her cubs, she too must be put down,
but not just that, if her cubs can’t be relocated to a zoo or
other conservation facility, they also gotta be euthanized.
Honestly, it makes me sad to think that the things
we do to get out to appreciate this beautiful
world we live in can result in its destruction.
These tips and tricks are important not only because
they keep us safe from predators in the natural world,
but also because they protect the natural world from us.
These rules to avoid bears are as much
for our benefit as they are for theirs.