Tourists are ignorant about how to behave near bears

MarkGelbart · #1 (**permalink**) 21-06-2010, 02:53 PM

Check out this video on youtube.

YouTube - Bear breaks in car at clingmans dome, smoky mountains, TN

If the link doesn't work, just type in "Bear Breaks into Car at Clingman's Dome."

This lady walked within ten feet of a wild black bear just to take an up close video.

I came across this because I took a trip to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park last week and saw almost no wildlife. The park was crowded--I saw an estimated 40,000 people and 1 gray squirrel. It was pretty disappointing as far as wildlife viewing goes. So I had to check out videos of wildlife there to see evidence that animals actually live there.

I wrote a 1500 word travelogue about my vacation and posted a dozen photos on my blog. We also went to the Ripley's Believe it or Not Museum.

GeorgiaBeforePeople

*********************************************

Mark Gelbart's Storefront - Lulu.com

goosey · #2 (**permalink**) 21-06-2010, 03:44 PM

Thanks Mark, that is amazing. Lucky for that woman and all the other people milling around that the bear was more interested in what ever food was in the car. It was very resourceful and persistent.
I could see where where she was coming from in a way, I would have wanted some pictures too, but I probably would have taken them from inside the car, but after seeing that I don't think that would have been a safe option after all.

Did you have to travel far to get to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park? How disappointing not to see anything just people and a squirrel

. Better luck next time.

I have just read your holiday report, it made interesting reading and I enjoyed the photo's.
Perhaps Yellow stone next time, I saw a programme about that and it looked tremendous with plenty of wildlife and "old faithful' and the hot springs, but I imagine that is full of people too, and the wildlife are in inaccessible places for the average person.

paul m · #3 (**permalink**) 22-06-2010, 12:06 PM

The ones on the clip certainly seem stupid! Sad for the bear gets habituated by tourists but would be executed if it turned on anyone.
Does seem a huge number of people to get into a wildlife area. In some places (relatively few) people are excluded from reserves unless they travel in authorised groups in secure vehicles; would seem to be the best policy for at least part of all natural parks?
PS: nice blog - combines humour, information and seriousness at the right ratio!

MarkGelbart · #4 (**permalink**) 22-06-2010, 03:29 PM

Oh and I forgot to mention. A woman was killed and eaten by a black bear in this park within the last year.

This park is only about a 5-6 hour drive from my house. Yellowstone would be a drive of several days--that's longer than I want to be away from my house.

Yellowstone is supposed to be pretty crowded too.

I've always dreamed of going to Wood Buffalo National Park in Canada. Check out how far away from civilization that one is. I estimated it would take a week of driving just to get there.

The Woodman · #5 (**permalink**) 22-06-2010, 07:10 PM

Hi Mark

I'll be in black bear country in a couple of weeks and this is a good reminder to not carry food in a vehicle.

Is that a tag in the animals right ear?

MarkGelbart · #6 (**permalink**) 24-06-2010, 02:10 PM

I think I noticed the tag on the bear's ear too.

What has me freaked out about this video is the stupid woman at the 3 minute mark who walked so close to take a picture of the bear.

paul m · #7 (**permalink**) 24-06-2010, 09:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MarkGelbart

,..........What has me freaked out about this video is the stupid woman at the 3 minute mark who walked so close to take a picture of the bear.

Quite so but the sad thing is that should the bear have taken a swipe at her (or worse) then it would have been labelled as 'dangerous' and probably exterminated.

I do think, perhaps, that some blame must be attributed to television programmes which show people 'getting close' to nature; leading many ignorant members of the public to regard big mammals as some sort of muppet!

CondonWildlife · #8 (**permalink**) 07-07-2010, 04:37 PM

Nice video. I can't believe how stupid people are. That bear is definitely going to be relocated and may possibly have been put-down because it knows that cars hold food and will always return to them.

I was in Yellowstone once and had to stop a women from trying to put her very young kid on the back of a bison. She wanted a picture of her baby riding a bison and was willing to put her kid on it.....she probably did it after I left anyway since she was fairly annoyed with me for interrupting her and thought I was the stupid one... ugh! some people!

Condon Wildlife Cams - wildlife cameras for research and monitoring, Swan Valley, Montana

The Woodman · #9 (**permalink**) 09-07-2010, 07:01 AM

That's an interesting website , CondonWilldlife.

CondonWildlife · #10 (**permalink**) 09-07-2010, 09:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Woodman

That's an interesting website , CondonWilldlife.

thanks Woodman! Happy to share

The Woodman · #11 (**permalink**) 09-07-2010, 10:43 PM

If you could advise a visitor to North America who wanted to purchase a trail camera for the duration of his stay, what would you advise?

CondonWildlife · #12 (**permalink**) 11-07-2010, 05:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Woodman

If you could advise a visitor to North America who wanted to purchase a trail camera for the duration of his stay, what would you advise?

I have really only worked with one type of camera and that is a Buckeye camera. I believe they are made in Ohio somewhere. There are many good cameras out there, but this one lets me upload immediately to my website, which is nice. I have had some out in the field for 3 years (with a modified solar panel) and never had to go out an fix them.....even when bears find them interesting... so I know buckeyes are durable. Is there a specific camera you are looking at? I might be able to tell you so pros and cons on one???

The Woodman · #13 (**permalink**) 11-07-2010, 06:31 AM

Apologies for taking this off subject but I do find the camera usage interesting, so please forgive me.

I run a couple of Stealthcams (Prowler 5mp) in England for survey work, one is regularly out there long term with a 7Ah 12v battery linked to a solar charger. They've been very good and I've had no problems with them.

If there was a downside or two, they are now large compared with some I've seen and the programming menu coupled with the operating butons are not the most logical, especially in poor light. The lock time is relatively slow too.

I'm going to Canada in a couple of weeks and was considering a purchase to entertain me and hopefully get some interesting images.

P.S. Have just done a bit of research on the Buckeye. At 0.3mp the trigger time is 1 sec and at 3mp is 15 secs. Perhaps that's why my 5mp setup is slow - uploading larger images to an SD card. At 13lbs it's no lightweight either!

Thanks for your help.

paul m · #14 (**permalink**) 13-07-2010, 10:34 AM

These camera messages are very interesting and may be useful for future reference - is there any chance of transferring/copying them to the Photography Forum?

goosey · #15 (**permalink**) 13-07-2010, 11:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by paul m

These camera messages are very interesting and may be useful for future reference - is there any chance of transferring/copying them to the Photography Forum?

I have copied the significent posts on to the Photography forum.
If all comments and future references about cameras and photography please be added to that thread.

Trail camera advice

Thanks

The Woodman · #16 (**permalink**) 13-07-2010, 05:33 PM

Apologies again to the OP - I do get side tracked easily. Thanks both Paul and goosey for the rescue.

paul m · #17 (**permalink**) 25-07-2010, 09:29 PM

Yep
BBC News - US bear takes short ride in car and leaves it wrecked

goosey · #18 (**permalink**) 26-07-2010, 07:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by paul m

Yep
BBC News - US bear takes short ride in car and leaves it wrecked

Crikey - there is no doubt bears will attempt anything for something to eat. This thread has really shown me that if I ever visit North America not to leave any edibles around as the bears are a bit more serious than the pesky fruit flies we have to contend with!