Desensitized to wild animals.

M

Moab Man

Senior Member
Here is another example of people coming out west to see the wild animals and not understanding they are WILD ANIMALS. I think between cartoons, movies, and just not being around wild animals people have lost what was common knowledge - wild animals are dangerous and not something to be cuddled.

Latest bear incident showing people getting out of the area after the wild animals starts to feel threatened while with her cubs. Fortunately nothing happened, but in the end the bear would have been the loser due to stupid humans.

Tourists caught off guard by runaway bears | KSL.com
 
BackdoorArts

BackdoorArts

Senior Member
I think there's a subconscious trigger in the brain that equates "park" with "less dangerous", and in the case of nature lovers and photographers there's the extra trigger of "opportunity". You also have the safety in numbers mentality that makes you believe "if that guy thinks it's safe then it probably is". Both in Rocky Mountain Nat'l Park and Yosemite, if I stopped my car and got out with my camera and pointed off road you could guarantee the next car past would stop and ask, "Whatcha got?!". During the Elk rut in RMNP you'd see people getting dangerously close to these huge antlered beasts thinking, "If he hasn't moved yet then he probably won't".

Personal anecdote about bears. I live in the country and we have Black Bear that occasionally see to it that I replace all my bird feeders. I know when I'm walking in the woods that a bear cub is a more dangerous thing to see than a full grown bear because it means I could be between it and its momma. But while in Yosemite Valley we saw some cubs up the road a piece as we were getting ready to leave the par. So, with a camera in my hand, while on a vacation to see this very thing, I got out of my car and started moving toward it (it was easily 400 feet away). That's when the Ranger I hadn't seen gave me the, "Where do you think you're going?! Get back to your car!!" After being slightly disappointed I quickly realized just how stupid that could have been. But there were people over there much closer than me, so I figured I'd be just fine. And back then I could run faster than most of them. LOL
 
M

Moab Man

Senior Member
I don't mind people self-nominating themselves for a Darwin, but hate to see an animal destroyed as a result of a stupid human.
 
J

J-see

Senior Member
Down here the only tricky animal we got is wild boar and although it will probably run away the moment it sees me, I'd still keep my distance at all times. I even put the dogs back on the leash the moment I spot one.

While working in Sweden years ago I took long hikes in the woods until they told me they got bears. After that walking through the woods suddenly was very different.

For a meal I'd risk my neck if such was required. For a shot not so much.
 
C

champagneinhand

New member
I hate seeing any bear with Cubs approached as said above the sow ends up getting destroyed for doing what she was designed to do protecting her cubs from all. Make bears can be cub killers because they want more mating time. If a grizzly sow is willing to take on a full sized male, people should well know that they won't hesitate to take on any other creature especially ignorant humans.


What shall we have? An '82 Margaux! Is it any good? Good....?, It will make you believe in God!
 
hark

hark

Administrator
Staff member
Super Mod
Contributor
Within the last year or so there were some sightings of a bear but nothing that was immediately local. We have a few foxes that tend to stay hidden, but we do have one animal that makes everyone run...skunks! ;)
 
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