There is a huge misconception when it comes to predator species such as bears that creates a false sense of fear in people. As a result, most individuals confuse being a predator species with being predatory towards humans. While it is true that predatory animals such as the bear do have a greater physical potential to harm, injure or kill a human due to their large body size, sharp carnivorous teeth and claws, the key word here is potential. Just because an animal has a physical potential to harm a human does not mean that it actually will.

Most predators have never used humans as a food source and no predator has ever had humans as their primary food source. In a nut shell, this means that predators such as bears do not see us humans as food. While bear attacks do sometimes happen, they are actually quite rare. In fact, they are so rare that you are actually 12 times more likely to die from a bee sting than you are from a bear attack and 10 times more likely to die from a dog attack than from a bear attack. In addition 1 person out of 16,000 commits murder but only 1 grizzly bear out of 50,000 ever kills a person and only 1 out of 1 million black bear ever does. This means that people are actually more dangerous than bears. It is also more common to die from a spider bite, a snake bite, a tornado or from lightening than from a bear attack.

What Bears Eat

So if bears don’t eat humans you might be wondering, what do they eat? What a bear eats really just depends on the species of bear. Scientifically speaking, although bears are classified as carnivores, they are technically omnivores like us humans and can often be found eating a diet consisting mainly of meats and plants. About 90% of the Eastern Black Bear’s diet consists of plants such as leaves, flowers, grasses, mushrooms, roots, berries, and fruits. They also eat nuts, acorns, honey, grubs and small mammals. Grizzly bears eat a lot of plants, berries, roots, grubs, honey and small mammals such as squirrels and rabbits, salmon and trout. Other types of bears such as the Polar bear feast upon seals, sea lions, walruses, fish, and sometimes dolphins. While pandas (technically marsupials but have the name panda bear) subsist on mostly bamboo in addition to small mammals, grasses, roots, and small fish.

Although bears are often classified as carnivores most bear species are classical anatomical omnivores. Their individual diets can range from almost exclusively herbivorous to almost exclusively carnivorous, depending on what kind of food sources are available to the animal both locally and seasonally, but primarily 70-80% of a bear’s diet is usually plant based. Bears cannot digest fibrous vegetation well and it is because of this that they are highly selective feeders. Their diet usually consists mainly of lent herbage, tubers and berries. Some scientists are even led to believe that because vegetation is not available in cold northern months, that this is why most bears hibernate during the winter.

Polar bears are considered carnivores but they will sometimes eat plants. However they mainly feed off of seal blubber, interestingly enough they hibernate during the summer months when seals are unavailable. Pandas are herbivores, while giant pandas have been known to eat some meat such as insects. About 90% of the eastern black bear’s diet consists of leaves, plants, grasses, buds, flowers, mushrooms, berries, fruits, nuts, acorns, and insects.

Although bears do mainly eat from plant based food sources, they do have a few anatomical features that are consistent with a carnivorous diet as well. For instance, the jaw joint of bears is in the same plane as their molars. The temporalis muscle is massive, and the angle of the mandible is small corresponding to the limited role the pterygoid and masseter muscles play in operating the bear’s jaw.

Bears also have short, small intestines and also like that of pure carnivorous animals exhibit a colon that is smooth, simple and short. What is interesting is that even though bears have the incisors, large canines, and premolars similar to those of other carnivorous animals, they have adapted molars that have become squared with rounded cusps for crushing and grinding, but yet still have not evolved to possess the blunt nails seen in herbivores. Instead they are still seen sporting the elongated, pointed claws of a carnivore.

Sometimes it can be confusing business when trying to figure out what exactly makes a bear carnivorous and what makes it omnivorous. At the end of the day, they can almost be classified in different ways as both or either/or. Really take your pick. It depends on the bear type, the location, the season, the food sources available, etc.

In North America, black bears are known to be good at climbing trees. In fact they are equipped with shorter, curved claws that are useful for climbing trees. They are also smaller in size than other bears and extremely fast and agile which helps make climbing a breeze. Whereas other types of bears such as polar bears and grizzly bears are not generally great at climbing trees. However, it should still be noted that all grizzly cubs and adult grizzly bears are still able to climb trees if the spacing of the branches is right and permits them to do so.

Bears usually climb trees for three reasons. They might climb a tree to try and escape danger, to eat nuts or fruit that is located in the tree, or to rest or sleep. When a mother bear brings her cubs out of their den one of the first things she often teaches them is how to climb a tree quickly when she gives them a signal.

Bottom line is, if you are trying to escape from a bear, climbing a tree in most cases is not going to help protect you. All black bears, grizzly cubs and adult grizzlies (though they do not always climb trees very well), are still able to climb trees if they decide it is something that they wish to pursue.

So the next time you encounter a bear, do not try climbing up a tree for safety. Instead it is suggested that you drop to the ground and lie flat and face down with your hands clasped behind your neck. Try your best to lie completely silent and still as resistance or running away will only provoke the bear. Before moving, make sure that the bear is in fact gone.

There have been studies done to test this theory; however each instance really depends on the type of bear. One study done in 1983 reported that when presented with a series of different odors (including seal scents, other food scents, non menstrual human blood, and used tampons) four captive polar bears elicited a strong behavioral response only to the scent of seals and the used tampons (menstrual blood) suggesting that polar bears are in fact attracted to the scent of menstruation. The study also reported that free-ranging polar bears detected and consumed food scent samples and used tampons but showed no interest in non-menstrual human blood and unused tampons.

Grizzly bear attacks have not been able to be linked to menstruation. However the responses of grizzlies to menstrual odors has not been studied experimentally so answering if they are attracted to the odor for sure has not really yet been determined. Whereas black bears of all sex and age classes that have been studied essentially ignored all menstrual odors. Furthermore, in extensive reviews all across North America there have been no instances of black bears attacking or being attracted to menstruating women or the odor of menstruation.

However, although there is not any evidence available to suggest that grizzly bears and black bears are attracted to menstruation, or any more so than they are attracted to other types of odors, certain precautions can and should still be taken to reduces the risks of attacks when it comes to women hiking, camping, etc. in areas where these creatures may be present.

Some of the precautions one can take include: using pre-moistened, unscented towlettes, and using internal tampons instead of external pads as this helps reduce odor. Do not bury any feminine products as a bear may smell buried pads or tampons and be curious and inclined to dig them up. By providing bears with a small food reward such as this, it may attract bears to other women who are menstruating. Using light scented or unscented products is the way to go. Also avoiding cosmetics, perfumes, and deodorants is also wise as using them may help attract bears.

All used tampons, pads, and towlettes should be placed and sealed in zip lock baggies for disposal and then stored somewhere where they are not available to bears. (The same as you would store food) One idea is to hang them at least ten feet above the ground and four feet from the trunk of a tree so bears have a harder time getting to them).

Disposing tampons by burning them over a campfire is one option, however if this is done it should be done properly. Keep in mind that it takes a very hot fire and a considerable amount of time for a tampon to burn completely. Any charred remains should be removed from the fire pit and then stored with other garbage, again out of a bear’s reach. It should also be noted that the burning of any kind of garbage is considered odorous and may attract bears to the campsite, so its probably best to avoid this method altogether.

Be sure to follow all food storage regulations and recommendations to avoid attracting bears as food, cooking, toiletries, food storage gear, and garbage can all attract bears and must be kept secure from them to ensure your safety.

Of course, not going camping, hiking, or anywhere a bear is sure to be lurking while you are menstruating is probably one of the safest ways to ensure that you don’t attract a bear as well.

Proper methods for storing bear attractants are as follows:

• Keep food or other possible attractants in the car (The trunk of a car or the cab of a truck works best)
• Keep food or other possible attractants in a solid camping trailer that is constructed of non-pliable material.
• Never store food or other attractants in a tent or tent trailer.
• Keep items or food in a food storage box, (some campgrounds provide these) never leave them out. Suspending the items at least ten feet in the air and four feet horizontally from the tree trunk also helps.