Grizzlies

Grizzly Vacations

Grizzly bears do not live in Manitoba but frequently may be seen while camping in other provinces or countries. Grizzlies are best distinguished from other bears by its shoulder hump, from muscles which used for digging. The color varies from a light creamy color to black. They have a dished facial profile and very long claws on the front paws. They are found in Europe, Japan, North Asia, the western Canada and the USA.

Traditionally woodsmen have described different advice for encounters with wild bears.

Black bears should be frightened off while Grizzly (brown) bears should be avoided. This is an over simplification since there are also black bears that are in fact blue or even brown!

There are many opinions on bear avoidance so be careful who you listen too. The most conservative approaches to all wildlife are still best. Disturbingly, some experts on bear behavior have in fact been killed by Grizzlies. Timothy Treadwell an amateur naturalist who had appeared on David Letterman as a bear expert was killed and eaten by bears he claimed to know.

It's better to do as Yogi Bear always laments that he should have done and “listen to the ranger”. .Local wildlife and park services will advise on proper precautions for viewing wildlife these are also the best people to learn from as well.

Campers not wanting an unexpected bear encounter should keep food away from their campsite, use proper trash receptacles and be careful. People in groups of four are practically never attacked. Even having one buddy with you lowers your chance of attack by more than 50% (which is independent of who is the faster runner).

If you are looking for safer encounters some destinations are incorporating planned grizzlies encounters as part of their tour packages but visitors must be careful.

Some habitats allow tourists to visit bears and other animals in an enclosed tour similar to the Tundra buggies used in Churchill to view polar bears.

Katmai National Park, Alaska is well known as a place that travelers can go to photograph grizzlies in the Wilderness. Grizzlies congregate to feed on salmon and viewing platforms have been set up to accommodate visitor numbers without affecting bear behavior. This may be one of the safest ways to have an authentic bear sighting.

Regardless of the setting travelers have to always ask themselves if the precautions taken are adequate both for their own protection and those of the animals.

http://www.bears.org/

There are still some circuses worldwide that still feature dancing bears. Many of these are declawed, wear a muzzle and are conditioned to dance by torture. Naturally bears do not dance and this form of cruelty is condemned. Travelers can make an impact by choosing not to go to zoos or circuses with a history of poor treatment. PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) makes frequent reviews of circuses. While some people find PETA extreme and over provocative they document many issues that people need to be aware of. www.getactivepeta.com .

Bears and people are meant to be apart and being to close is usually bad for both. Appreciating them from a distance is always best.