Black bear attacks mountain biker in Washington State park

[y_p_w]

On Sep 24, 3:42 pm, [email protected] (Floyd L. Davidson) wrote:
> Jim Roberts <[email protected]> wrote:
> >Floyd L. Davidson wrote:
> >> [email protected] wrote:
> >>> Mike, your ignorance of wildlife and factless statements become irritating.
> >> True.
>
> >>> While black bear attacks on humans are rather rare, as a carnivore, they can
> >>> and do attack humans from time to time. The probability of an attack is
> >>> measured in the 1 to 400 million or more (given the number of recreational
> >>> visitor days a year in black bear country).
>
> >> I assume all of that is correct. I don't see it as
> >> significant, one way or another. If you are in bear
> >> country... *do* be concerned.
>
> >It isn't. But you don't have them where you live Floyd.
>
> Guess what Dingbat, I grew up 1 mile from where that
> particular bear attack happened.
>
> As is common with you, you just stepped into another
> pile of stink.
>
> >And by 2020 or so you won't have polar bears either.
>
> You didn't read something right. Why are you always
> just a little... off. Nobody is saying polar bears will
> be gone by 2020.
>
> >>> The motivation for the attack
> >>> can range from protecting cubs (and yes I would suggest this is one of the
> >>> more common reasons),
>
> >Startling them.
>
> That is almost as rare as protecting cubs as a
> motivation for an attack (of which there are exactly
> ZERO known cases). You need to get is straight, black
> bears are not like brown bears.

It's hard to say if it was the sole motivation, but there are known
cases of a black bear sow with cubs attacking people. I'd hardly say
there's ZERO known cases. The following has several incidents,
including several which on the face of it sounds like a sow being
protective of cubs.

http://www.dfg.ca.gov/news/issues/bear/bear_incidents.html

 

[z]

On Sep 4, 10:27 am, Bruce Jensen <[email protected]> wrote:
> On Sep 3, 11:00 pm, Mike Vandeman <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
> > On Mon, 3 Sep 2007 12:00:50 -0600, "Ist-e Mundus, Furia bundus"
>
> > <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > >"Mike Vandeman" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> > >news:[email protected]...
> > >> What crime did the bear commit, that it deserves to die?! She was only
> > >> defending her cubs!
>
> > >> Mike
>
> > >>http://www.komotv.com/news/9538012.html:
>
> > >> Black bear attacks bicyclist in park
>
> > >> Story Published: Sep 2, 2007 at 4:14 PM PDT
>
> > >> Story Updated: Sep 3, 2007 at 7:33 AM PDT
>
> > >> By KOMO Staff
>
> > >> Watch the story
> > >> NEAR OLLALA, Wash. -- A man was attacked by a bear while mountain
> > >> biking in the Banner Forest Heritage Park just before noon on Sunday,
> > >> according to South Kitsap Fire and Rescue officials.
>
> > >> Spokesman Ron Powers said a 51-year-old Port Orchard man was biking
> > >> with his two dogs alongside him when the dogs ran ahead and around the
> > >> bend, then started barking fiercely. The man turned the bend and saw
> > >> the dogs were barking at a bear.
>
> > >> Powers said the bear immediately charged at the man, who tried to use
> > >> his bike to shield himself from the animal. But the bear managed to
> > >> injure the man's arm, back, neck and ear before he was able to get
> > >> back on his bike and ride away.
>
> > >> Down the path, the injured man ran into other mountain bikers, who
> > >> called 911.
>
> > >> The man was conscious and alert when he was taken to St. Joseph
> > >> Medical Center in Tacoma. The unidentified man is in serious
> > >> condition, but is expected to recover.
>
> > >> One of the man's dogs is still missing. It is not known whether the
> > >> dog suffered injuries during the attack. The second dog is said to be
> > >> OK.
>
> > >> Officials evacuated the park and shut it down in order to search for
> > >> the bear. Powers said if the bear is found, officials plan to kill it.
> > >> Officials said crews will search through the night until the bear is
> > >> found.
>
> > >> Another bicyclist who was at the park on Sunday told authorities he
> > >> saw mother bear and two cubs while riding on the trail.
>
> > >> Powers said Sunday's attack is a freak accident, stating black bears
> > >> rarely attack humans and, unless provoked or threatened, will run
> > >> away. The man or the dogs may have appeared as a threat to the bear,
> > >> who may have been protecting her cubs, Powers said.
>
> > >> Area resident Teri Nelson agrees, while bears are not uncommon at the
> > >> park, she didn't expect them to be aggressive.
>
> > >> "Attacking somebody would make me have second thoughts about walking
> > >> through this forest by myself," she said. "It's pretty scary."
> > >> --
> > >> I am working on creating wildlife habitat that is off-limits to
> > >> humans ("pure habitat"). Want to help? (I spent the previous 8
> > >> years fighting auto dependence and road construction.)
>
> > >> Please don't put a cell phone next to any part of your body that you are
> > >> fond of!
>
> > >How do you know it was defending cubs? The article only says "may have
> > >been", and that there was a report of a bear with two cubs. No guarantee it
> > >was the same bear as "bears are not uncommon at the park". There you go
> > >leaping to conclusions again, reaffirming your status as the primo number
> > >one twit-extraordinaire on usenet.
>
> > It's a well-known fact that black bears don't attack humans, except to
> > defend their cubs. Do you think it was offended by the color of his
> > outfit?!
>
> That bear was probably startled and surprised by the combination of
> dogs and human on bicycle. It made a panicked decision to attack
> likely based on something it was tryinig to protect. It certainly
> does not sound like it was looking for trouble, and it probably would
> make some effort to avoid this situation again (bears don't like
> confrontation any more than you do).
>
> Black bears, like most bears, will also attack a human (or other
> possible competitor) to defend a cache of food, be it natural or
> derived from human sources. Nonetheless, in most locations, including
> national parks, authorities will rarely, if ever, remove a bear for
> defending either cubs or food caches. The reasoning, which I believe
> to be valid, is that, unless the bear attacks because he/she
> specifically identifies humans as a food source (either because they
> carry food or because they could *be* food), the bear then represents
> no further danger beyond what would normally be expected. Bears who
> behave in this way do not typically repeat attacks, and the original
> attack can be boiled down to either stupid human tricks or unfortunate
> happenstance. In this case, it counds like the latter occurred, and
> it would have been unpreventable.
>
> In this case, Mike is right. Unless there is some evidence that the
> bear intended to make a meal of the biker, and based on the story it
> certainly does not sound like it, there is no compelling reason to
> kill it. It should be left alone. Dogs should be leashed, ample
> signs should warn of bear presence, and bikers should do so at their
> own risk.
>
> Bruce Jensen- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

Humans on bikes are fast and quiet enough to surprise quite a few
critters, as I have discovered. (no bears). Plus, from what I've read
(and seen once) dogs and bears don't get along that well.

 

[z]

On Sep 4, 5:29 pm, Bruce Jensen <[email protected]> wrote:
> On Sep 4, 1:46 pm, y_p_w <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > WTF?
>
> > Tell that to the family in Utah whose 11 year old was dragged out of
> > their tent and killed in June by a male black bear. Male black bears
> > aren't known for being protective of their cubs. Some are known to
> > attack cubs, which could include their own young.
>
> Yeah, but we are not at this point talking specfiically about a male
> or female bear. There is a reasonable chance that the bear in
> question was a female with cubs, based on other testimony. At the
> very least, it was surprised.
>

I'm sure the bear was an immigrant bear who crossed over our
undefended borders in order to steal the identity of a bear who was
born here so he could commit crimes and live on welfare and get the
state to educate his cubs and steal jobs from bears who were born here.

 

[Ryan Robbins]

"y_p_w" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On Sep 24, 3:42 pm, [email protected] (Floyd L. Davidson) wrote:
>> Jim Roberts <[email protected]> wrote:
>> >Floyd L. Davidson wrote:
>> >> [email protected] wrote:
>> >>> Mike, your ignorance of wildlife and factless statements become
>> >>> irritating.
>> >> True.
>>
>> >>> While black bear attacks on humans are rather rare, as a carnivore,
>> >>> they can
>> >>> and do attack humans from time to time. The probability of an attack
>> >>> is
>> >>> measured in the 1 to 400 million or more (given the number of
>> >>> recreational
>> >>> visitor days a year in black bear country).
>>
>> >> I assume all of that is correct. I don't see it as
>> >> significant, one way or another. If you are in bear
>> >> country... *do* be concerned.
>>
>> >It isn't. But you don't have them where you live Floyd.
>>
>> Guess what Dingbat, I grew up 1 mile from where that
>> particular bear attack happened.
>>
>> As is common with you, you just stepped into another
>> pile of stink.
>>
>> >And by 2020 or so you won't have polar bears either.
>>
>> You didn't read something right. Why are you always
>> just a little... off. Nobody is saying polar bears will
>> be gone by 2020.
>>
>> >>> The motivation for the attack
>> >>> can range from protecting cubs (and yes I would suggest this is one
>> >>> of the
>> >>> more common reasons),
>>
>> >Startling them.
>>
>> That is almost as rare as protecting cubs as a
>> motivation for an attack (of which there are exactly
>> ZERO known cases). You need to get is straight, black
>> bears are not like brown bears.
>
> It's hard to say if it was the sole motivation, but there are known
> cases of a black bear sow with cubs attacking people. I'd hardly say
> there's ZERO known cases. The following has several incidents,
> including several which on the face of it sounds like a sow being
> protective of cubs.
>
> http://www.dfg.ca.gov/news/issues/bear/bear_incidents.html

Again, there are zero known cases of bears attacking humans in order to
protect cubs. Just because there were cubs present doesn't mean that's why
the mother bear attacked. So no, the cases listed are not known cases of a
mother bear protecting her cubs.

 

[y_p_w]

On Sep 25, 4:22 pm, "Ryan Robbins" <[email protected]> wrote:
> "y_p_w" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>
> news:[email protected]...
>
>
>
> > On Sep 24, 3:42 pm, [email protected] (Floyd L. Davidson) wrote:
> >> Jim Roberts <[email protected]> wrote:
> >> >Floyd L. Davidson wrote:
> >> >> [email protected] wrote:
> >> >>> Mike, your ignorance of wildlife and factless statements become
> >> >>> irritating.
> >> >> True.
>
> >> >>> While black bear attacks on humans are rather rare, as a carnivore,
> >> >>> they can
> >> >>> and do attack humans from time to time. The probability of an attack
> >> >>> is
> >> >>> measured in the 1 to 400 million or more (given the number of
> >> >>> recreational
> >> >>> visitor days a year in black bear country).
>
> >> >> I assume all of that is correct. I don't see it as
> >> >> significant, one way or another. If you are in bear
> >> >> country... *do* be concerned.
>
> >> >It isn't. But you don't have them where you live Floyd.
>
> >> Guess what Dingbat, I grew up 1 mile from where that
> >> particular bear attack happened.
>
> >> As is common with you, you just stepped into another
> >> pile of stink.
>
> >> >And by 2020 or so you won't have polar bears either.
>
> >> You didn't read something right. Why are you always
> >> just a little... off. Nobody is saying polar bears will
> >> be gone by 2020.
>
> >> >>> The motivation for the attack
> >> >>> can range from protecting cubs (and yes I would suggest this is one
> >> >>> of the
> >> >>> more common reasons),
>
> >> >Startling them.
>
> >> That is almost as rare as protecting cubs as a
> >> motivation for an attack (of which there are exactly
> >> ZERO known cases). You need to get is straight, black
> >> bears are not like brown bears.
>
> > It's hard to say if it was the sole motivation, but there are known
> > cases of a black bear sow with cubs attacking people. I'd hardly say
> > there's ZERO known cases. The following has several incidents,
> > including several which on the face of it sounds like a sow being
> > protective of cubs.
>
> >http://www.dfg.ca.gov/news/issues/bear/bear_incidents.html
>
> Again, there are zero known cases of bears attacking humans in order to
> protect cubs. Just because there were cubs present doesn't mean that's why
> the mother bear attacked. So no, the cases listed are not known cases of a
> mother bear protecting her cubs.

The Jacksonville Zoo doesn't agree with your assessment.

http://www.jaxzoo.org/animals/biofacts/AmericanBlackBear.asp

Even Alaska Fish & Game say something about the possibility of a black
bear portecting cubs.

http://www.wc.adfg.state.ak.us/index.cfm?adfg=bears.bearfax

"If Attacked · If a bear actually makes contact, you have two choices:
play dead or fight back. The best choice depends on whether the bear
is reacting defensively or is seeking food. Play dead if you are
attacked by a grizzly bear you have surprised, encountered on a
carcass, or any female bear that seems to be protecting cubs."

I'm not saying there's a whole lot to be afraid about black bears
(even with cubs). I came across one last summer and was cautious
without being scared. I've been told that typically they're "pansies"
and have heard of enough instances where black bear sows have
abandoned their cubs when faced with a threat. However - there's been
enough information that there have been occasional attacks when
someone has gotten between a black bear sow and cubs. I do realize
that a grizzly bear with cubs is a far greater danger.

 

[Ryan Robbins]

"y_p_w" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
On Sep 25, 4:22 pm, "Ryan Robbins" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> Again, there are zero known cases of bears attacking humans in order to
> protect cubs. Just because there were cubs present doesn't mean that's why
> the mother bear attacked. So no, the cases listed are not known cases of a
> mother bear protecting her cubs.

>The Jacksonville Zoo doesn't agree with your assessment.

>http://www.jaxzoo.org/animals/biofacts/AmericanBlackBear.asp

The zoo can say anything it wants. The research and anecdotal evidence
doesn't support the theory, though.

>However - there's been
>enough information that there have been occasional attacks when
>someone has gotten between a black bear sow and cubs.

When?

 

[Bruce in Alaska]

In article <[email protected]>,
y_p_w <[email protected]> wrote:

> Even Alaska Fish & Game say something about the possibility of a black
> bear portecting cubs.
>
> http://www.wc.adfg.state.ak.us/index.cfm?adfg=bears.bearfax
>
> "If Attacked ? If a bear actually makes contact, you have two choices:
> play dead or fight back. The best choice depends on whether the bear
> is reacting defensively or is seeking food. Play dead if you are
> attacked by a grizzly bear you have surprised, encountered on a
> carcass, or any female bear that seems to be protecting cubs."

You seem to "Confuse" Black Bears with Brown Bears here. The ADF&G
site you post is SPECIFICALLY talking about Brown Bears, and Female
Brown Bears with Cubs. This is a decidedly different senerio than
Black Bears and Female Black Bears with Cubs. Apple and Oranges,
Sir, Apples and Oranges........

Bruce in alaska who lives with both, as neighbors.......
--
add a <2> before @

 

[y_p_w]

On Sep 26, 10:50 am, "Ryan Robbins" <[email protected]> wrote:
> "y_p_w" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>
> news:[email protected]...
> On Sep 25, 4:22 pm, "Ryan Robbins" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>
>
> > Again, there are zero known cases of bears attacking humans in order to
> > protect cubs. Just because there were cubs present doesn't mean that's why
> > the mother bear attacked. So no, the cases listed are not known cases of a
> > mother bear protecting her cubs.
> >The Jacksonville Zoo doesn't agree with your assessment.
> >http://www.jaxzoo.org/animals/biofacts/AmericanBlackBear.asp
>
> The zoo can say anything it wants. The research and anecdotal evidence
> doesn't support the theory, though.
>
> >However - there's been
> >enough information that there have been occasional attacks when
> >someone has gotten between a black bear sow and cubs.
>
> When?

I said that more than likely a black bear sow will do nothing, but
it's not as if the chances are zero. Excruciatingly rare? Yes.
Zero? No.

Massachusetts Fish & Wildlife:

http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dfw/dfw_bear_problem_faqs.htm#prob14

"Black bear sows are extraordinarily tolerant-although uncomfortable-
of people who approach their cubs. A Michigan biologist reported that
only 4 sows chased away researchers during live-trapping and handling
of >300 bears."

Bear attack on a couple of bow hunters in Idaho.

http://archives.cnn.com/2002/US/West/09/30/bearattack.ap/index.html

"POCATELLO, Idaho (AP) -- A man armed with a bow shot and killed a
mother black bear that had attacked his son while she was protecting
her cubs.

Nolan Koller heard his son, Jason Koller, 29, yell for help while the
pair were elk hunting Saturday."

Pennsylvania Fish & Wildlife:

"Bears are mainly nocturnal, but they sometimes feed and travel by
day. Alert and wary, they tend to avoid open areas. Individuals are
solitary. While most bears will run from a human, a female with cubs
should be respected and on rare occasions might actually attack if she
feels her young are in danger."

Colorado Division of Wildlife:

http://wildlife.state.co.us/WildlifeSpecies/LivingWithWildlife/Mammals/BearCountry.htm

"In contrast to grizzly bears, female black bears do not normally
defend their cubs aggressively; but send them up trees. However, use
extra caution if you encounter a female black bear with cubs. Move
away from the cub; be on the lookout for other cubs."

 

[Floyd L. Davidson]

y_p_w <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>I said that more than likely a black bear sow will do nothing, but
>it's not as if the chances are zero. Excruciatingly rare? Yes.
>Zero? No.

Probably zero.

>Massachusetts Fish & Wildlife:
>
>http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dfw/dfw_bear_problem_faqs.htm#prob14
>
>"Black bear sows are extraordinarily tolerant-although uncomfortable-
>of people who approach their cubs. A Michigan biologist reported that
>only 4 sows chased away researchers during live-trapping and handling
>of >300 bears."

Interesting, but it does *not* support your claims that
black bears will attack to protect cubs.

>Bear attack on a couple of bow hunters in Idaho.
>
>http://archives.cnn.com/2002/US/West/09/30/bearattack.ap/index.html
>
>"POCATELLO, Idaho (AP) -- A man armed with a bow shot and killed a
>mother black bear that had attacked his son while she was protecting
>her cubs.
>
>Nolan Koller heard his son, Jason Koller, 29, yell for help while the
>pair were elk hunting Saturday."

A lot of evidence there... all of it suggesting that
humans will attack bears to protect their offspring, and
none of it indicating the bear was protecting cubs.

>Pennsylvania Fish & Wildlife:
>
>"Bears are mainly nocturnal, but they sometimes feed and travel by
>day. Alert and wary, they tend to avoid open areas. Individuals are
>solitary. While most bears will run from a human, a female with cubs
>should be respected and on rare occasions might actually attack if she
>feels her young are in danger."

Whatever works to keep the tourons from getting into
trouble. But the *facts* are that the Pennsylvania Fish
& Wildlife have no evidence at all to support that
statement.

>Colorado Division of Wildlife:
>
>http://wildlife.state.co.us/WildlifeSpecies/LivingWithWildlife/Mammals/BearCountry.htm
>
>"In contrast to grizzly bears, female black bears do not normally
>defend their cubs aggressively; but send them up trees. However, use
>extra caution if you encounter a female black bear with cubs. Move
>away from the cub; be on the lookout for other cubs."

So they say it doesn't happen... and to you than means
it might happen. Interesting logic, but false.

--
Floyd L. Davidson <http://www.apaflo.com/floyd_davidson>
Ukpeagvik (Barrow, Alaska) [email protected]

 

[y_p_w]

On Sep 26, 2:11 pm, [email protected] (Floyd L. Davidson) wrote:
> y_p_w <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> >I said that more than likely a black bear sow will do nothing, but
> >it's not as if the chances are zero. Excruciatingly rare? Yes.
> >Zero? No.
>
> Probably zero.
>
> >Massachusetts Fish & Wildlife:
>
> >http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dfw/dfw_bear_problem_faqs.htm#prob14
>
> >"Black bear sows are extraordinarily tolerant-although uncomfortable-
> >of people who approach their cubs. A Michigan biologist reported that
> >only 4 sows chased away researchers during live-trapping and handling
> >of >300 bears."
>
> Interesting, but it does *not* support your claims that
> black bears will attack to protect cubs.

I never said they would or even that it's common. That would be
Vandeman. My only contention is that it isn't **impossible** for a
black bear sow to attack a person if it believes it's protecting its
cubs and I've heard of enough incidents to say that however
improbable, it is possible.

If I thought that a black bear sow with cubs stood a reasonable
probability of attacking me if I got near its cubs, I'd have marks
from the one I came across last June.

I guess I could bring up several instances or recommendations by
wildlife authorities, and they would all be shot down as not being
conclusive or possibly being clueless because they don't conform to
your assertions. What standard of proof do you need? Maybe some sort
of brain scan on a semi-conscious bear pulling out its thoughts before
being put down? Or maybe a global bear monitoring system that tracks
to location of sows and their cubs? A lot of these incidents I cited
include wildlife biologists saying that a sow protecting cubs was at
least a contributory (if not sole) reason for an attack. You're
mentioning absolutes, and I don't think there are any when talking
about animal behavior.

Here's another one:

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20061015/bear_attack_061015

A Port Moody, B.C. woman was nursing deep bite wounds on Sunday after
a run-in with a black bear on her front lawn on Saturday near
midnight.

Jan Lanz, 57, heard her dog barking and went outside to investigate.
When she saw her dog barking at a bear going through her garbage, she
picked up a garbage can.

"I whipped the can as hard as I could and hit the bear in the head,"
Lanz told CTV Vancouver in an interview from her bed Sunday morning.

The bear took off, and Lanz thought the incident was over.

What Lanz didn't know was that there were two bear cubs hiding in the
trees of her yard. The bear hadn't left. She had circled around and
returned to protect her cubs

"I heard a sound behind me, I turned around, and all of a sudden the
bear grabbed my (left) thigh in her mouth," said Lanz. "I couldn't
believe what was happening -- I reacted and smacked the bear on the
head."

--snip--

The bear and her cubs will not be hunted down or destroyed, police
said.

"She got in between the mother bear and the two cubs, the dog is
fighting with the two bears, and there's a lot of screaming and
yelling and commotion," explained Port Moody Const. Phil Reid.

"I can just imagine that mama bear was a little concerned and took a
bite of the victim," he said.

 

[Ryan Robbins]

"y_p_w" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On Sep 26, 10:50 am, "Ryan Robbins" <[email protected]> wrote:
>> "y_p_w" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>>
>> news:[email protected]...
>> On Sep 25, 4:22 pm, "Ryan Robbins" <[email protected]> wrote:
>>
>>
>>
>> > Again, there are zero known cases of bears attacking humans in order to
>> > protect cubs. Just because there were cubs present doesn't mean that's
>> > why
>> > the mother bear attacked. So no, the cases listed are not known cases
>> > of a
>> > mother bear protecting her cubs.
>> >The Jacksonville Zoo doesn't agree with your assessment.
>> >http://www.jaxzoo.org/animals/biofacts/AmericanBlackBear.asp
>>
>> The zoo can say anything it wants. The research and anecdotal evidence
>> doesn't support the theory, though.
>>
>> >However - there's been
>> >enough information that there have been occasional attacks when
>> >someone has gotten between a black bear sow and cubs.
>>
>> When?
>
> I said that more than likely a black bear sow will do nothing, but
> it's not as if the chances are zero. Excruciatingly rare? Yes.
> Zero? No.
>
> Massachusetts Fish & Wildlife:
>
> http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dfw/dfw_bear_problem_faqs.htm#prob14
>
> "Black bear sows are extraordinarily tolerant-although uncomfortable-
> of people who approach their cubs. A Michigan biologist reported that
> only 4 sows chased away researchers during live-trapping and handling
> of >300 bears."

At issue is whether there are any known cases of mother black bears
attacking humans in order to defend their cubs. Chasing researchers doesn't
equal attacking researchers.


> Bear attack on a couple of bow hunters in Idaho.
>
> http://archives.cnn.com/2002/US/West/09/30/bearattack.ap/index.html
>
> "POCATELLO, Idaho (AP) -- A man armed with a bow shot and killed a
> mother black bear that had attacked his son while she was protecting
> her cubs.

Again, mere speculation, mostly based on the myth. There is NOTHING in the
story to support the claim.


> Pennsylvania Fish & Wildlife:
>
> "Bears are mainly nocturnal, but they sometimes feed and travel by
> day. Alert and wary, they tend to avoid open areas. Individuals are
> solitary. While most bears will run from a human, a female with cubs
> should be respected and on rare occasions might actually attack if she
> feels her young are in danger."

Again, speculation.

For crying out loud, there was a long story in my local paper from an
outdoorsman who discussed preparing for black bear hunting season, which is
in full swing. Here's a guy who presents himself as knowledgeable all things
hunting. And yet he stresses in his column that regardless of whether you're
out in teh woods to hunt bears or to watch and photograph them you should
carry a gun with you just in case.

That's hilarious.

The problem is, the "experts" want to cover their butts. Of course there's
always a chance a black bear will attack, just like there's always a chance
the stranger on the stree is going to punch you in the face or steal your
wallet. So what better way to protect yourself from a frivolous lawsuit than
to pander to the lowest common denominator, which is that all bears can be
dangerous.

> Colorado Division of Wildlife:
>
> http://wildlife.state.co.us/WildlifeSpecies/LivingWithWildlife/Mammals/BearCountry.htm
>
> "In contrast to grizzly bears, female black bears do not normally
> defend their cubs aggressively; but send them up trees. However, use
> extra caution if you encounter a female black bear with cubs. Move
> away from the cub; be on the lookout for other cubs."

Once again, nothing that shows there have ever been any known cases of a
mother black bear attacking in order to protect her cubs.

 

[Ryan Robbins]

"y_p_w" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> What Lanz didn't know was that there were two bear cubs hiding in the
> trees of her yard. The bear hadn't left. She had circled around and
> returned to protect her cubs
>
> "I heard a sound behind me, I turned around, and all of a sudden the
> bear grabbed my (left) thigh in her mouth," said Lanz. "I couldn't
> believe what was happening -- I reacted and smacked the bear on the
> head."

Uh, if you hit me in the head with a metal object, I might regroup myself
and come back to retaliate.

>
> "She got in between the mother bear and the two cubs, the dog is
> fighting with the two bears, and there's a lot of screaming and
> yelling and commotion," explained Port Moody Const. Phil Reid.

And we know that the police are always right about everything, too, don't
we? Just like a local police chief here a few years ago who said on the news
during Christmas season that suicides increase during the holidays. (Hint:
That's another myth.)

 

[Bruce in Alaska]

In article <[email protected]>,
y_p_w <[email protected]> wrote:

> Here's another one:
>
> http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20061015/bear_attack_06101
> 5
>
> A Port Moody, B.C. woman was nursing deep bite wounds on Sunday after
> a run-in with a black bear on her front lawn on Saturday near
> midnight.
>
> Jan Lanz, 57, heard her dog barking and went outside to investigate.
> When she saw her dog barking at a bear going through her garbage, she
> picked up a garbage can.
>
> "I whipped the can as hard as I could and hit the bear in the head,"
> Lanz told CTV Vancouver in an interview from her bed Sunday morning.
>
> The bear took off, and Lanz thought the incident was over.
>
> What Lanz didn't know was that there were two bear cubs hiding in the
> trees of her yard. The bear hadn't left. She had circled around and
> returned to protect her cubs
>
> "I heard a sound behind me, I turned around, and all of a sudden the
> bear grabbed my (left) thigh in her mouth," said Lanz. "I couldn't
> believe what was happening -- I reacted and smacked the bear on the
> head."
>
> --snip--
>
> The bear and her cubs will not be hunted down or destroyed, police
> said.
>
> "She got in between the mother bear and the two cubs, the dog is
> fighting with the two bears, and there's a lot of screaming and
> yelling and commotion," explained Port Moody Const. Phil Reid.
>
> "I can just imagine that mama bear was a little concerned and took a
> bite of the victim," he said.


Now wait just a minute here...... Just because there were cubs in a
tree, it is "ASSUMED" by the writer that the Female Black Bear "Returned"
to protect the cubs in the tree, by the Writer of the story, or the
individual who told the Writer of the story, the "Facts" of this
incident.
Unless the individual who stated the "Facts" is Bear Clarvoient, he
can NOT come the any Specific Conclusion, on just why the Female
Black Bear returned to the site. It could be just as easily "ASSUMED"
that the Female Black Bear returned to the scene, to feed at the Garbage
Can, AGAIN. Then finding the woman there, decided to munch her FIRST,
and then return to the Garbage. Black Bears NEVER leave Food. They
may run off a few yards if startled, or scared, but they will wait a bit
and return, once the Direct Threat has abated. The only real way to
cause the Bear to Move On, is to REMOVE the Food, PERIOD. Picking up
the Garbage doesn't remove the Food, it just moves it a bit, and to the
Bear, it doesn't change the Scent of Food, ANY, which is a Black Bears
Primary means of finding Food.

Black Bear cubs are perfectly protected when up a tree, 90% of the
prediters of Black Bear Cubs, don't climb trees to eat Cubs. There
is no real reason that the Female Black Bear would worry about cubs
while they are up a tree. Even if she decided to Move off the Food,
not likely, the cubs would follow her scent and catch up to her, once
the Threat of the Human presence abated.

This whole senerio is riddled with Human Interpritation of Black Bear
Behaviour, in Human Terms, and not from Black Bears viewpoint.

Bruce in alaska
--
add <path> before @

 

[y_p_w]

On Sep 27, 11:20 am, Bruce in Alaska <[email protected]> wrote:
> In article <[email protected]>,
>
>
>
> y_p_w <[email protected]> wrote:
> > Here's another one:
>
> >http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20061015/bear_att...
> > 5
>
> > A Port Moody, B.C. woman was nursing deep bite wounds on Sunday after
> > a run-in with a black bear on her front lawn on Saturday near
> > midnight.
>
> > Jan Lanz, 57, heard her dog barking and went outside to investigate.
> > When she saw her dog barking at a bear going through her garbage, she
> > picked up a garbage can.
>
> > "I whipped the can as hard as I could and hit the bear in the head,"
> > Lanz told CTV Vancouver in an interview from her bed Sunday morning.
>
> > The bear took off, and Lanz thought the incident was over.
>
> > What Lanz didn't know was that there were two bear cubs hiding in the
> > trees of her yard. The bear hadn't left. She had circled around and
> > returned to protect her cubs
>
> > "I heard a sound behind me, I turned around, and all of a sudden the
> > bear grabbed my (left) thigh in her mouth," said Lanz. "I couldn't
> > believe what was happening -- I reacted and smacked the bear on the
> > head."
>
> > --snip--
>
> > The bear and her cubs will not be hunted down or destroyed, police
> > said.
>
> > "She got in between the mother bear and the two cubs, the dog is
> > fighting with the two bears, and there's a lot of screaming and
> > yelling and commotion," explained Port Moody Const. Phil Reid.
>
> > "I can just imagine that mama bear was a little concerned and took a
> > bite of the victim," he said.
>
> Now wait just a minute here...... Just because there were cubs in a
> tree, it is "ASSUMED" by the writer that the Female Black Bear "Returned"
> to protect the cubs in the tree, by the Writer of the story, or the
> individual who told the Writer of the story, the "Facts" of this
> incident.
> Unless the individual who stated the "Facts" is Bear Clarvoient, he
> can NOT come the any Specific Conclusion, on just why the Female
> Black Bear returned to the site. It could be just as easily "ASSUMED"
> that the Female Black Bear returned to the scene, to feed at the Garbage
> Can, AGAIN. Then finding the woman there, decided to munch her FIRST,
> and then return to the Garbage. Black Bears NEVER leave Food. They
> may run off a few yards if startled, or scared, but they will wait a bit
> and return, once the Direct Threat has abated. The only real way to
> cause the Bear to Move On, is to REMOVE the Food, PERIOD. Picking up
> the Garbage doesn't remove the Food, it just moves it a bit, and to the
> Bear, it doesn't change the Scent of Food, ANY, which is a Black Bears
> Primary means of finding Food.
>
> Black Bear cubs are perfectly protected when up a tree, 90% of the
> prediters of Black Bear Cubs, don't climb trees to eat Cubs. There
> is no real reason that the Female Black Bear would worry about cubs
> while they are up a tree. Even if she decided to Move off the Food,
> not likely, the cubs would follow her scent and catch up to her, once
> the Threat of the Human presence abated.
>
> This whole senerio is riddled with Human Interpritation of Black Bear
> Behaviour, in Human Terms, and not from Black Bears viewpoint.

Certainly much of this is human interpretation. However - I'm hearing
a few viewpoints painting it as an absolute that a black bear sow will
never attack someone in order to protect its cubs. I believe there
have been enough documented incidents where a reasonable conclusion is
that protection of cubs was at least a contributory factor in the
attack. It's not as if bear have some sort of failsafe mechanism
wired in their brains that instructs them to not claw/bite/butt when
they want to protect their cubs.

 

[Wayne]

"Bruce in Alaska" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> In article <[email protected]>,
> y_p_w <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> Here's another one:
>>
>> http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20061015/bear_attack_06101
>> 5
>>
>> A Port Moody, B.C. woman was nursing deep bite wounds on Sunday after
>> a run-in with a black bear on her front lawn on Saturday near
>> midnight.
>>
< snip>

, once
> the Threat of the Human presence abated.
>
> This whole senerio is riddled with Human Interpritation of Black Bear
> Behaviour, in Human Terms, and not from Black Bears viewpoint.
>
> Bruce in alaska

In other words, they are using antrhopomorphism.
(Sorry....I just always wanted to use that word in a sentence...)