Posted by Ranger Bob (165.83.4.130) on April 12, 2002 at 12:54:33:
In Reply to: potential prey? posted by neighbor joe on April 12, 2002 at 08:26:13:
: Do bears consider humans to be potential prey?
: When a bear kills or attacks a human, what are the typical reasons? Is one of them ever for food?
Hello Neighbor Joe,
Thanks for the interesting question. Bears are programmed for different food sources during different times of the year. Interestingly, the vast majority of a grizzlies diet is vegetation. Typically, a bear does not consider humans as prey. In my 10 years in Yellowstone and my 100's of miles of trails I have hiked, the bears that I have seen have either not noticed me, didn't care, or were running full speed away from me.
If an attack on a human occurs, the number one reason is because that bear has become conditioned to humans usually through eating garbage or getting food left out by people. The bear than associates people with food and if it doesn't get it, the bear may become aggressive.
This is a very interesting topic that is still being researched. One great book, if you want more information, is Stephen Herraro's book entitled Bear Attacks: Their Causes and Avoidances.