From the Field: Grizzly Bear encounters in Glacier and Yellowstone National Parks.
I got a comment from John Morris in regards to my posts about Grizzly encounters: “What is it with you and Bears, do you have a death wish?
I am sure this was a tongue-in- cheek comment from my friend and cousin’s husband, but it made me think about these experiences.
Wilderness is not an unsafe place, in that, dangerous creatures are out there stalking humans for a meal.
It is, in retrospect, a most safe place to be. It is sad and unnecessary to elaborate, but humans are by far the most dangerous of all species on the planet.
In leu of all the news about human violence and senseless killing of other humans it is not a leap, to see that it is more dangerous to be around our own kind than any perceived wildlife threat.
Are Grizzlys, Alligators, Sharks, Mountain Lions, and Rattlesnakes dangerous? Of course they can be, but only if we humans create situations that cause dangerous animals to react to some appearant threat or opportunnity.
Wilderness exploration should only be done by those knowing the risk, danger, and wildlife life history of what could be a serious problem.
Knowledge is a great asset, fear is driven by what we do not know.
Go to every length to learn as much as you can about thise critters that can be provoked into unfortunate behavior.
If there is any rule in nature, it would be respect. Know yourself and know what not to do when in the domain of dangerous wildlife. I and you are the intruder. Try not to be one.
There is no “death wish” in nature. The rule is survival. I work at being one with nature. I want to live, not die. I want to be an unprovocative observer. Every wonderful encounter enriches my life and assures my footprint on nature is minimal.
Always explore but stay safe: with respect, knowledge and a plan to keep both you and the things you want to observe safer by making encounters a mutually uneventful and wonderful experience.
The bears I encountered wanted no trouble from me and I did nothing to give them reason to think that I was the threat. And I learned a lot more about Grizzly Bears and Larry Richardson from 3 bears in two magnificent American Wilderness Areas and I will forever be grateful.
