The recent case of the killing of a man by a bear in the Liptov region has once again raised questions about how to behave during bear encounters in a forest or near human dwellings, or even better: how to avoid a bear.
The head of the Brown Bear Emergency Team, Jaroslav Slašťan, claims that bear encounters with humans mostly occur due to the fact that the person does not know how to behave when meeting the bear or how to behave in the area where bears live.
Here is an overview of answers to practical questions that are good to know before you find yourself in front of a brown bear:
The questions we answer in the text below:
- How to avoid an encounter with a bear in the woods
- Where and when should vigilance be increased?
- How not to lure a bear to human settlements?
- How to camp the right way
- What behaviour can prevent a bear from attacking you?
- Run or stand still?
- How to read a bear’s body language?
- Should you actively defend yourself if a bear attacks you?
- What is the best way to scare off a bear?
- Whom should you inform about a bear outside human dwellings?
- Where to call if you notice a bear in a populated area?
- Whom to inform about an aggressive bear?
How to avoid an encounter with a bear in the woods
The risk of encountering a bear is lower when you walk in a group on marked trails and during daylight. In case of poor visibility or audibility, if you are moving against the wind or running water, loud whistling, clapping, or talking will help to give the bear a chance to react and avoid you.
