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). Seems like people are rushing to the conclusion that this was a “predatory bear”. Bears can run with great speed and they are good in climbing trees. Bear Body Language. Predators will blame the victim for their awful behavior. Take moose at Kincaid Park for example. 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. A predatory bear is often recognized when it appears to be intensely interested in you or deliberately approaches you, 3. 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. No, spirit bears are not albino. Although sometimes portrayed in the media as voracious predators, grizzly bears are normally reclusive creatures. Of course, that could be true. Polar bears communicate through body language, vocalizations, and scent markings: Head wagging from side to side: A sign that polar bears want to play. Bears Facts: There are several species of bear but many of them are becoming extinct now. If a bear attacks, people may increase their chance by evaluating whether the bear’s behaviour is defensive or predatory. Brown bears dominate gray wolves, cougars, black bears, and even polar bears. Grizzly bears are intelligent, curious, and have excellent memory, particularly regarding where food sources are located. Large herbivores rarely threaten the bears, but may fatally wound one in self-defense or protecting calves. Black bears are so timid today partly because they evolved alongside such powerful predators as saber-toothed cats, American lions, dire wolves and short-faced bears, all of which became extinct only about 12,000 years ago. Grizzly Bear Image by Chris Morgan. * But then again, maybe not. 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. 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. 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. Most likely its behavior was driven by stress and not the genetic disposition to be a predator. Depending where they live, they may be attacked by tigers or other bears. A predatory bear comes up to you WITHOUT displaying any stress (like moaning, woofing, jaw popping, or paw swatting). These behaviors and how you react to them are true for both black and grizzly bears. A polar bear ( Ursus maritimus ) was observed unsuccessfully stalking and chasing caribou ( Rangifer tarandus ) in western Hudson Bay. Cows will drop calves and be very calm when people are around. “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. Does not display stress behaviors. Habits and Behaviors. Understanding the various responses and ways bears communicate can help people to coexist with bears. Bears respond to people as they would other bears. 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