These behaviors and how you react to them are true for both black and grizzly bears. Bears respond to people as they would other bears. Understanding the various responses and ways bears communicate can help people to coexist with bears. Black bears are amazingly powerful, fast, resourceful and … If a bear attacks, people may increase their chance by evaluating whether the bear’s behaviour is defensive or predatory. Bears vary in height and some are very short like the sun bear (below 4 feet) and some of them can grow up to 11 feet height (polar bears). Observations of Polar Bear Predatory Behaviour toward Caribou RYAN K. BROOK1 and EVAN S. RICHARDSON2 (Received 20 December 2000; accepted in revised form 13 September 2001) ABSTRACT. Of course, that could be true. Bears can run with great speed and they are good in climbing trees. Although sometimes portrayed in the media as voracious predators, grizzly bears are normally reclusive creatures. Bear Body Language. BEAR BEHAVIOR In most situations bears will avoid humans. A polar bear ( Ursus maritimus ) was observed unsuccessfully stalking and chasing caribou ( Rangifer tarandus ) in western Hudson Bay. Grizzly Bear Behavior. Black Bear Behavior. If you encounter a bear that does NOT avoid you, you need to determine if it is exhibiting predatory or aggressive/defensive behavior. Grizzly Bear Image by Chris Morgan. For example, an abuser may say “It’s your fault I lash out like this and it’s your fault I hit you. * Bears Facts: There are several species of bear but many of them are becoming extinct now. A predatory bear is often recognized when it appears to be intensely interested in you or deliberately approaches you, 3. A predatory bear comes up to you WITHOUT displaying any stress (like moaning, woofing, jaw popping, or paw swatting). Large herbivores rarely threaten the bears, but may fatally wound one in self-defense or protecting calves. Brown bears dominate gray wolves, cougars, black bears, and even polar bears. Predators will blame the victim for their awful behavior. No, spirit bears are not albino. Most likely its behavior was driven by stress and not the genetic disposition to be a predator. They have pigment in their skin and eyes, which wouldn’t be the case with albinos. Seems like people are rushing to the conclusion that this was a “predatory bear”. Grizzly bears are intelligent, curious, and have excellent memory, particularly regarding where food sources are located. Cows will drop calves and be very calm when people are around. Polar bears communicate through body language, vocalizations, and scent markings: Head wagging from side to side: A sign that polar bears want to play. Take moose at Kincaid Park for example. Bears are relatively quiet creatures, but will occasionally make sounds to communicate: Cubs bawl and moan when distressed, and make a grunting purr sound when suckling. But then again, maybe not. Adult bears initiate play—which is actually ritualized fighting or mock battling—by standing on their hind legs, chin lowered to their chests, with front paws hanging by their sides. Habits and Behaviors. Depending where they live, they may be attacked by tigers or other bears. “If you get into that exceedingly rare situation and are actually contacted, our recommendation is to do anything you can to fight back,” said Steve Michel, human-wildlife conflict specialist for Banff National Park. Adult brown bears face few predators. Spirit bears aka Kermode bears (Ursus americanus kermodei) are a subspecies of the North American black bear with a rare recessive gene that makes their fur white or cream. Bears are extraordinarily intelligent and adaptable and knowing how to interpret their behavior and how to act responsibly is part of the pleasure of sharing our environment with wild bears. 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