What kind of bears in yosemite

Come spring, the bears will go where the food is. At first this is usually grasses in the meadows, but when berries start to ripen it's buffet time. Yosemite visitors should always be on guard for bears and watch their speeds on the park's roads. Unfortunately, one to two dozen bears are killed or maimed annually here from because of contact with cars. About 4 million visitors stream through Yosemite's roads and trails each year, yet no one has been the victim of a deadly or serious bear attack in the park.

Visitors are reminded to keep at least feet from a bear if possible and to ward off curious bears by making lots of noise. Never put yourself between a bear and her cubs or a bear and food. And if that means your food, let the bear keep what he's taken. Witnesses attest that Grandma Bear could sneak into a site full of campers in broad daylight, pick off a bear canister, and vanish with no trace other than the missing canister. Aside from being supremely sneaky, Grandma Bear was also extremely clever, and developed a technique for holding bear cans in one paw whilst running on her other three legs.

Where did she run? To her favorite cliff, where she proceeded to toss the bear can over the ledge. The cans, however mighty, could not withstand the foot plunge. Rangers in the summer of reported that Grandma Bear had stolen nearly bear canisters that same year. That is why, we cannot stress enough, that proper food storage is critical when visiting the park. Always remember that this is their home, and we are the visitors. Respecting the wildlife is critical to the sustainability of the ecosystem.

We can all coexist if we take the necessary precautions. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. By using this form you agree with our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed. While hibernating, bears enter a state of reduced body temperature, pulse rate, and respiration that conserves energy, and do not defecate nor urinate, but can metabolically extract energy from body wastes.

Their "sleep" is not a deep one. Black bears often leave the den periodically. After emerging from winter dens, bears feed largely on meadow grasses, which are low in nutrition but sustain them until berries of various plant species ripen and other foods become available that provide higher calories. Bears also eat ants, termites, and insect larvae ripped out of logs or dug from the ground.

The oldest bear known in Yosemite was a year-old female first captured in the Tuolumne Meadows area in the s. Visitors who encounter a bear should keep their distance for safety and respect for themselves and the animal. If visitors see a black bear in undeveloped areas, they should remain at least 50 yards from it. If they encounter a bear in developed areas, they should stand their ground and scare the bear away by raising their arms and making very loud noises.

Black bears may show dominance by bluff charging, especially when guarding food or cubs. Attacks are rare, and no one has been killed or seriously injured by a black bear in Yosemite. Hundreds of black bears make their home in Yosemite and seeing a wild bear is often the highlight of a trip to the park. Bears often remind us of ourselves, and the complex relationship between bears and humans has changed over time as we have strived to keep bears wild. Park managers attempt to preserve this species that can be negatively affected by humans.

First, visitors should drive the speed limit, reminded by signage placed where a bear has been hit by a vehicle. There are hundreds of bears in Yosemite, and all of them want your sandwich.

How can you prevail against such overwhelming odds? It might not be easy, but you'll have to find a way. Bears that become acclimated to humans, and especially bears that learn to see humans as a food source, become dangerous and end up getting bumped off by the park service. No matter how noble your aspirations for interspecies understanding, bears, like supernovae, Miss Universe, and people surrounded by Secret Service agents, must be admired from a distance.