Spring has well and truly sprung in the Northern Hemisphere , and while that might see more of us reaching for the antihistamine as the blooms bring pollen , hay febricity is n’t the only thing to be cautious of . In the US , some bears are start to come out of hibernation , and that mean it ’s time to be “ deport cognisant ” .
What bears are found in the US?
There are three species of bear that can be found in the US : black bears ( Ursus americanus ) , brown ( also known as grizzly ) bears ( Ursus arctos ) , and polar bears ( Ursus maritimus ) , though the latter is only receive in Alaska .
calamitous bears can commonly befoundin the forests and mountains of the Pacific Northwest , though they also live in Alaska , the Rocky and Appalachian Mountains , the upper Midwest , and parts of the South . Brown bear , on the other helping hand , have aslightly more limited kitchen range ; most subsist in Alaska , but little populations can also be discover in Idaho , Montana , Washington , and Wyoming .
Hibernation habits
If you ’re search the Last Frontier , it ’s probably a just idea to be bear - aware all the time – polar bearsdon’t hibernate . Black and dark-brown bears , however , do make pass the wintertime calendar month in a state of metabolic sleep .
Depending on whereabouts in the US they endure , disgraceful and brown bears will spend the previous summer and/or other fall getting their mitt on as much food as possible – becomingdeliciously chonkyin the procedure – before going into hibernation sometime between September to as late as December .
Then , between March and early May , they begin to emerge from their dens . That ’s already happened in Wyoming ’s Grand Teton National Park , for example , where the first silvertip of this year ’s season was recognize onMarch 19 .
How to be bear aware
As more bear begin to hail out of hibernation , it marks a great chance to spot them in their natural home ground – but that also intend being cautious . Bearsrarely attack , but their behaviour can on occasion be irregular . Being “ bear cognisant ” helps to keep both human race and bears safe .
One of the first step in being bear cognisant is totake notice of your milieu . Have bear recently been blemish in the area ? There might be bear poop or tracks on the ground . Staying clear of places where they might eat – such as where berry Bush and animal carcasses are plentiful – can help too .
Another crucial way to be bear cognisant is to do the least you could pull in to one . bear generally void humans , but there are certain factors that might draw them closer to us – namely , solid food . If you find yourself in bear commonwealth , it ’s advisable to make certain you store and dispose of your intellectual nourishment where bear ca n’t get to it .
It ’s also a full idea to make plenteousness of noise , whether that ’s get a yap sitting with your hiking brother or a expectant ol’ family singsong . This can help to make bears cognizant that you ’re there , at which point they ’ll typically rest aside from you .
Finally , if you do see a bear , do n’t chase after it – keep a dependable space . That should n’t need to be said , but y’know , multitude are people . “ If you ’re at a safe distance and the bear is not changing its behaviour due to your bearing , enjoy the moment . snap up your camera and zoom in for a great photo , ” advises theNational Park Service .
What should you do if it ends up being a close coming upon ? We’vegot that cover too .
