Bear Facts
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 Alaska is bear country! You should expect to meet bears almost anywhere you travel throughout the state. Bear densities are highest in places where human density is the lowest - the Alaska Peninsula has one of the highest densities of Brown Bears in the world.
For thousands of years bears and people have co-existed in Alaska-fishing the same streams, hunting the same game. Bears held an important place in the lives of early cultures in Alaska, traditions included fear and respect. Early pioneers generally viewed bears as a competitor to be exterminated. Over the past 20 years, however, bear viewing has become increasingly popular, it has been proven that bear watching can be a safe and rewarding pursuit, with bears acting both peacefully and predictably.
Brown Bears come in all sizes and colors. Size ranges from a 20-pound spring cub emerging from the den to a 1200 pound mature male, fat after a summer of feeding and color ranges from platinum blonde to deep chocolate. Brown Bears live a long life, 35- year-old individuals have been documented.
When a bear meets a person, it communicates with the person as it would with another bear. Understanding this behavior is the best way to avoid problems.
Bears are predictable - they are only unpredictable if we don't understand them
bears don't have an agenda - they are not malicious animals out to "get" people, in fact bears usually choose to avoid people.
Bears are social - bears of one area are familiar with one another and meetings consist of complex social exchanges.
Bears are not territorial - bears share home ranges, however, bears will defend their personal space. Bears have a "critical space" around them-this critical space is different for every bear and varies from situation to situation.
 Bears live in a dominance hierarchy - mature males generally at the top, cubs at the bottom. Bears maintain their relative position within the hierarchy by being combative.
Bears are curious about their environment - they often explore and examine new things in their world be it a person walking or a tent - this is not aggressive behavior.
Bears are not always aware - bears are a top of the food chain predator-they have few fears. A bear following a trail doesn't always look ahead and a sleeping bear often sleeps very soundly.
A standing bear is not acting aggressively - bears stand to get a better sense of what has attracted their attention.
Bears can see at least as well as we do and their sense of smell is many times more acute than ours.
Females with cubs are no more dangerous than any other bear all bears have the potential to be dangerous and should be treated with respect and caution, a few simple rules for moving through bear country be aware - bears may be where you least expect them!
Taken from the book
Living In Harmony With Bears
A project of the Alaska Audubon Society
Author Derek Stonorov
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