What should you do when attacked by a bear

Identify yourself by speaking in a calm, appeasing tone. Back away slowly, preferably in the direction you came. In most cases, the bear will flee. Ensure the bear has a clear and safe escape route with no people or obstacles in its way.

Stand tall and look it directly in the eye. For more information on how to deter black bears, click here. Never try to move a grizzly bear! This is often the case with a mother bear with cubs, a bear defending a food source, or a surprise encounter. It is simply trying to communicate that you are too close. Try to appear non-threatening by remaining still and calm.

Ready your bear spray by removing the safety lock. Speak in an appeasing voice and back away, increasing your distance from the bear. Leave the area immediately. Defensive responses that result in physical contact almost always involve grizzly bears surprised at close range, on a carcass or protecting young.

The very few defensive attacks by black bears have been females protecting cubs but these are very rare. If the bear is about to make contact, use your bear spray. Do not play dead and do not act aggressively. Get as far away from the food cache as possible. Help the bear recognize you as a human. It may come closer or stand on its hind legs to get a better look or smell. A standing bear is usually curious, not threatening. Stay calm and remember that most bears do not want to attack you; they usually just want to be left alone.

Bears may bluff their way out of an encounter by charging and then turning away at the last second. Continue to talk to the bear in low tones; this will help you stay calmer, and it won't be threatening to the bear. A scream or sudden movement may trigger an attack. Never imitate bear sounds or make a high-pitched squeal. Pick up small children immediately.

Hike and travel in groups. Groups of people are usually noisier and smellier than a single person. Therefore, bears often become aware of groups of people at greater distances, and because of their cumulative size, groups are also intimidating to bears. Make yourselves look as large as possible for example, move to higher ground. Do NOT allow the bear access to your food. Getting your food will only encourage the bear and make the problem worse for others.

Do NOT drop your pack as it can provide protection for your back and prevent a bear from accessing your food. If the bear is stationary, move away slowly and sideways ; this allows you to keep an eye on the bear and avoid tripping.

Moving sideways is also non-threatening to bears. Don't let the color fool you — black bears can be brown in color and brown bears can be nearly black," said Goldes. A grizzly bear's fur may also be tipped with white. Knowing the common regions of the species may also help you to identify them — black bears are found throughout North America whereas grizzly bears are not quite as widespread.

If you are being attacked by a grizzly bear, Goldes said, your best option is to play dead. Generally, bears only attack humans to protect their food, cubs, or space so fighting back against a grizzly bear will typically only worsen an attack whereas playing dead may help the bear believe you are no longer a threat. Bears are smart enough to know that you are faking it if they haven't touched you and you suddenly collapse," said Goldes.

When trying to play dead, fall onto your stomach and use your arms to cover your head, using the ground to protect your face and stomach. Keep your legs spread wide apart to make yourself more difficult for the bear to move.

Goldes said it is likely that the bear will try to flip you over or play with your body. If this happens, you should allow the bear to flip you, but roll all the way over so you end up face-down again. Black bears are generally timid animals, according to the North American Bear Center. This means that they may be less likely to charge at you aggressively but if they do attack, there's a good chance they're quite determined to hurt you.

This usually only happens if the bear is sick or if it feels cornered. If this is the case, you must fight back with whatever tool you have available. Aim for the eyes and the nose," said Goldes.

He said it's important to make sure the bear has an escape route — cornering the bear may only make it more aggressive. According to the US National Park Service, playing dead will likely not be very effective if you're attacked by a black bear.

Instead, you may want to fight back with all your strength, aiming direct blows at the bear's face while using any weapon or object available to you. One of the best ways to avoid encountering a bear in the wilderness is to store your food and trash correctly.

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