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10 Things You Must Know When Camping In Bear Country
Author: Karin Manning
Copyright 2006 Karin Manning
It goes without saying that there are risks when it comes to camping in bear
country.
In fact, on 14 April 2006 this risk became a tragic fact of life when a 6 year
old girl received fatal injuries from a black bear while camping.
Campgrounds are now having to incorporate policies and procedures to ensure bear
conservation and safety for campers. The DEC Campgrounds in the Adirondack and
Catskill Forest Preserves in New York State are two such campgrounds. Their
staff have developed specific policies and procedures to minimize the occurrence
of bear problems at their campgrounds while maintaining a healthy, natural black
bear population.
There are eight critical ways that you can minimise the chances of getting hurt
by bears by following these simple tips:
1. Avoid traditional bear feeding areas.
2. Avoid camp locations where bears have been known to roam in the past.
3. Avoid camping where you may have trouble seeing a bear through vegetation.
4. Avoid camping where you see bear droppings and fresh tracks.
5. Never feed wild bears.
6. Store your food in a cooler which is locked in the car
7. Like most animals, bears are attracted to garbage so make sure your campsite
is very clean
8. Remember that behind every cute baby bear is a very overprotective bear
mother!
9. Stop fishing when bears are present. They want your fish more than you do.
10. The minimum safe distance from a bear is 50-100 yards.
There are now a number of organizations that are working passionately on
increasing bear awareness in the community. The National Spokesman of The
National Be Bear Aware & Wildlife Stewardship Campaign, General H Norman
Schwarzkopf, is dedicated to providing teachers, college students, youth groups
and guiding/hunting groups with educational materials and training programs to
teach outdoor enthusiasts and residents up to date safety skills and techniques
for camping, hunting, viewing, hiking, photographing and living with wildlife
like bears safely and responsibly. More information is available at the
Campaign's website at
http://www.bebearawaresw.org.
Along a similar vein, The 'Bear Safe Washington' program began in 1999 with
funding from the World Society for the Protection of Animals. This program of
presentations, brochures and seminars was designed to raise awareness of all
bear issues in Washington State. Its bear safe guide can be downloaded at
http://www.insightwildlife.com/bearsafe.htm
The Get Bear Smart Society based in Whistler, Canada, educates people on dealing
with bears in the community and promoting innovative bear management practices.
Supporters can make donations by visiting their website at
http://www.bearsmart.com.
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before she decides to start charging.
This article is free for republishing
Article Source:
http://www.articlealley.com
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