[at-l] Bear Repellent

[jmmiele at optonline.net (joe miele)]

> > Don't believe the myth about never going between a mother bear and her
> > cubs - I've been in that position and I'm obviously here to type this
> > message.
>
> How do you account for the people who DO get mauled, then?  Or is that
just
> a myth too?

Please cite me the statistics on the number of people who get mauled by
black bears.  When you look them up you will be surprised to see how few
there are.  You have a greater chance of winning the lottery than being a
killed by a black bear, and you are 374 times more likely to be killed by
lightning.

Dr. Lynn Rogers of the North American Bear Center has been working with
bears nearly every day for the past 36 years.  Dr. Rogers says "In my 36
years of close-up experience with bears, I have never seen a blustery bear
actually attack. Ferocious-looking body language and vocalizations are signs
that bears are nervous and afraid. Not surprisingly, then, bluster is
followed by retreat, often up a tree."   Dr. Rogers also states "Black bears
have killed only a handful of people across North America in all of
history."
(http://www.savenjbears.com/commentary.html#AFRAID%20OF%20BEARS%20HERES%20WH
Y!)

Lastly, Dr. Rogers, who is an internationally known expert on bears and
knows far more about them that everyone on this list put together, says "The
greatest misconception about black bears is that they are likely to attack
people in defense of cubs.  They are highly unlikely to do this.  Black bear
researchers often capture screaming cubs in the presence of bluff-charging
mothers with no attacks.  Defense of cubs is a grizzly bear trait. About 70
percent of human deaths from grizzly bears are from mothers defending cubs,
but black bear mothers have not been known to kill anyone in defense of
cubs."  (http://bear.org/Black/Black_Bear_Facts.html)

You may still choose to believe that bears are dangerous animals, adn that
is your right.  Your belief would be based on fiction, however.

Peace,
Joe