Expert warns of fatal error to avoid during bear attack

Daily Mirror

5 days ago

A horrifying bear attack has left a woman critically injured just miles from a European city, but not many people are aware of what they should do if they encounter a bear
A terrifying bear attack has taken place just a few miles from a European city, leaving a woman critically injured and fighting for her life.
The attack took place in Skofljica, which is just six miles south of Slovenia's capital city, Ljubljana. Residents have been warned to stay away from the area and remain cautious.
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The brown bear attacked the woman before retreating back into the forest. Bear populations have grown so much in Slovenia that the government has even approved a bear cull to curb numbers. In the area, the number of bears has risen to about 1000, and 206 of these are set to be culled, despite opposition from animal rights groups.
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More often than humans are the victims of terrifying bear attacks in Slovenia, it is farm animals who find themselves at the mercy of the bears, with over 100 killed by either bears or wolves in 2019, compared to two reported bear attacks on humans in 2022.
Whilst bear attacks might be relatively rare, if you are planning to visit a country or region with a sizeable bear population, it is important to be aware of the right way to deal with encountering one—just one wrong move could be the difference between life and death.
Experts from the National Parks Service (NPS) in the United States have warned that you should take a totally different approach depending on the type of bear you find yourself face-to-face with.
Brown bears, like the one that attacked the woman in Slovenia, are overall much larger than black bears, and if one attacks you, you should play dead, and not fight back. Fighting back could make the attack far more severe, so the experts recommend instead that you keep as still and silent as possible.
READ MORE: Skofljica bear attack leaves woman critical after horror near Llubljana in Slovenia
In information provided via their website, the experts urged: "Cover your head and neck with your hands and arms. Lay flat on your stomach, and spread your legs apart. Keep your pack on, it will help protect you during an attack. Stay still and don't make any noise—you're trying to convince the bear that you aren't a threat to it or its cubs. Do not get up right away because the bear may still be in the area. Wait several minutes until you are sure that the bear is gone."
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However, if the attack doesn't stop, the NPS explains that you will have no choice but to "fight back with everything you've got."
If a black bear attacks you, on the other hand, it is recommended that you fight back, using branches or rocks nearby, or by kicking and punching the black bear directly in the face.
Surprising a bear can be seriously dangerous, particularly if they have cubs that they will want to protect. If you stumble across a bear, you should not be aggressive in any way - do not make eye contact, as this could be seen as confrontational to the bear, but instead, calmly and slowly walk backwards away from it.
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You should make sure to speak and wave your arms so that the bear can understand you are a human and likely not a threat to it. You should also absolutely ignore any impulse you have to run away or climb a tree, no matter how strong, because both of these could cause the bear's predatory instincts to be activated, and there is no way you will be able to outrun or climb away from a bear.
Sometimes, both black and brown bears will charge at humans, but there are two different kinds: aggressive charges and bluff charges.
A bluff charge is what it sounds like - the bear is trying to scare you, and it's more likely you will encounter a bluff charge than an aggressive one. If it is bluffing, it will puff up, making itself as big as possible, and you will notice that its ears and head will be reaching up and forward.
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It will come toward you in big leaps on its front paws, before stopping just before you or suddenly veering away in another direction. You should hold your ground if this occurs, but once it's over, wave your arms, speak calmly, and back away, but do not take your eyes off the bear.
If a bear starts huffing, whilst pounding their front paws on the ground, it may be about to aggressively charge at you, particularly if it is also clacking its teeth. Its ears will be pointing back, and its head will be down, all of which are signs that the bear is seriously stressed out and preparing to attack you.
Terrifyingly, bears will sometimes stalk you, planning to attack. This is because they are in predatory mode. They are not stressed or defensive but completely ready to attack, and if this occurs, you will have to be prepared to fight, no matter what.
Bear spray is an important tool to keep in your arsenal if you're visiting an area with a bear population, whether you're going for a hike, picnic, or camping. If a bear attacks you or stalks you, make sure you have it at the ready.