When bears attack: 7 people mauled by bears in recent days

[ScienceRocks]

When bears attack: 7 people mauled by bears in recent days

When bears attack: 7 people mauled by bears in recent days - CNN.com

CNN) -- Bears rarely attack humans unless they feel threatened or territorial. But a 12-year-old girl jogging in Michigan is among the latest victims in a spate of bear attacks that has left seven people mauled in five states since Thursday.

Wildlife officials are running tests on a bear they killed to see if it's the same one that mauled Abby Wetherell on Thursday evening. The girl from Cadillac, Michigan, was out on her nightly jog when she was ambushed by a black bear.

"On her way back this time, a bear just kind of came out of nowhere and attacked her from behind, knocked her to the ground," her mother Elizabeth Wetherell told CNN affiliate WXMI.

 

[strollingbones]

of the 7 attacks this was the only one 'odd'....and yes a black bear rarely attacks a human...but when it does...it does with power...my encounters with bears have always been more amusing than anything...i swear i have the ...."bear" reaction just as the bear seems to be having the "human" reaction and we both part ways as quickly as possible...the only times i have seen a sow with cubs...she was moving...and the cubs were moving...and i was moving....back from them...it would totally flip me out to be caught between a sow and her cubs....just never a good place to be

the other attacks were on people moving or in tents..with food...

 

[Skull Pilot]

That jogger probably fell prey to the bear's predatory instinct.

The first thing anyone is told when traveling in bear country is never to run from a bear.

Now she might not have been running from the bear or she might not have even seen it but the bear saw her running away and instincts took over.
I don't think the bear or the girl is at fault it was just an unfortunate turn of events.

 

[Coloradomtnman]

This being a thread by Mathew, I'm guessing the victims were all white and the bears were all black bears...

 

[Luddly Neddite]

This being a thread by Mathew, I'm guessing the victims were all white and the bears were all black bears...

Just be glad its not one of novasteve's weird threads.

The bears would all be transgenders wanting to use campsite bathrooms.

 

[koshergrl]

Apparently black bear attacks are typically perpetuated by male bears...

But the info is conflicting..some say you're more likely to be attacked in wilderness areas where bears aren't habituated to humans, and others say you're more likely to be attacked by bears that ARE desensitized.

I avoid them. Bears are great at a distance. I don't like coming upon one whenn i'm out, and I don't like seeing bear crap a few feet from my tent in the morning when I get up. It makes me nervouse.



Beware of predatory male American black bears: Attack rates are rising with human population growth

 

[Katzndogz]

We are moving into their homes and crapping in their living rooms. This is what you can expect.

 

[Moonglow]

Just be on the look out for a black bear and a twink.

 

[waltky]

Yea...

... it's pre-hibernation season fer `em...

... don't get inna way when dey chowin' down.

 

[JoeBlam]

Anybody with a drawer full of "Outdoor Life" magazines knows bears are often aggressive with hikers and campers. Don't believe a black bear will run from you....it all depends on how it's feeling, if it's hungry, has a sore paw, or is tired of it's territory being invaded....it will outclimb you, outrun you, outswim you, and break your neck with one swat if it's pissed off...if it comes in at night your odds are reduced even further....short of a firearm or pepper-spray, your best chance is to get your knife blade into one of it's eyes and scramble it's brains....same as you'd do with a vicious dog.....oh, and forget a sow's cubs....don't ever get between her and a blueberry patch.

 

[JoeBlam]

Anybody with a drawer full of "Outdoor Life" magazines knows bears are often aggressive with hikers and campers. Don't believe a black bear will run from you....it all depends on how it's feeling, if it's hungry, has a sore paw, or is tired of it's territory being invaded....it will outclimb you, outrun you, outswim you, and break your neck with one swat if it's pissed off...if it comes in at night your odds are reduced even further....short of a firearm or pepper-spray, your best chance is to get your knife blade into one of it's eyes and scramble it's brains....same as you'd do with a vicious dog.....oh, and forget a sow's cubs....don't ever get between her and a blueberry patch.

UPDATE!

Michigan DNR officers have shot and killed a bear near where Abigail Wetherell was grabbed and bitten. At one point in the attack she "tried to pet the bear so it would like me" but was quickly thrown back on the ground and mauled. Her grampa doesn't think the bear that DNR shot is the same one....it's a 500 pounder while the bear that attacked Abby is thought to be a 150 pounder.

 

[R.C. Christian]

Good reason to jog with a Desert Eagle.

 

[koshergrl]

What are DNR officers???

They got the wrong bear? Good grief.

 

[R.C. Christian]

I saw a bear once. Turned he was homosexual "Furry" in a bear costume.

 

[Staidhup]

Black Bears are more prone to attack then their brown cousins up North. Get between mother and offspring of any species and your toast. Nothing is dumber than a two year old just kicked out of the den, too stupid to run away, too hungry to pass up a free meal.

 

[laughinReaper]

I saw a bear once. Turned he was homosexual "Furry" in a bear costume.

 

[laughinReaper]

if it's a Mama bear with cubs, she will attack in a heartbeat. Jog in the gym.

 

[JoeBlam]

Black Bears are more prone to attack then their brown cousins up North. Get between mother and offspring of any species and your toast. Nothing is dumber than a two year old just kicked out of the den, too stupid to run away, too hungry to pass up a free meal.

Yep....young bear out on it's own thinking "what the hell I can eat that".....

 

[JoeBlam]

What are DNR officers???

They got the wrong bear? Good grief.

Department of Natural Resources.... aka conservation officers.