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A host of animals are sure to be seen on almost any mountain excursion. One of the more common and entertaining of them is the Black Bear. Any trip to the mountains is sure to bring one within viewing distance. It is not recommended, however, to feed them. Not only does feeding bear pose a threat to human safety, the bears are placed in the way of danger too. Feeding can be intentional or inadvertent, so appropriate measures should be taken to secure belongings to reduce the chance of an accidental feeding.
Black Bear often visit the campsites and because of their frequent interaction with humans, they feel that there is little to fear. Campers often fail to realize that wild bears are attracted to the smell of food and trash at campsites. Failure to place trash in a secured bin is certain to attract the attention of bear. Although the site of a bear digging through the trash bin may be entertaining, it’s obviously not safe for the bear or the humans. Often campers leave food items in storage containers on picnic tables and come back to find Black Bear sitting on the table enjoying lunch. A simple remedy is to place food in containers that can be sealed and then to place these sealed containers into coolers. This may reduce the bear’s interest in the food items.
Black Bear pose an immediate threat to human safety and can use their amazing strength for a serious attack. It is the bear that is more commonly at risk, however. Campers that inadvertently feed bears are sometimes scared by their presence and can sometimes use lethal force in a moment of fear. Bears may consume containers or silverware with their dining selection and can suffer serious health concerns because of this. Bears also run the risk of injury if crossing roadways to reach campsites. A simple way to keep everything safe is to secure food items and reduce the possibility of attracting bears.