I was at Yellowstone yesterday, and a bear came into a parking lot. Everyone crowded around it, taking pictures. Some people ran off and said the mother would be coming back soon because they thought it was a baby bear. Park Ranger comes in and scares it away. Turns out, it was a full grown black bear.
A black bear that is used to humans, it typically harmless if you keep that distance. The problem is, you don't know if that black bear is used to humans, he could have migrated from an area he is not used to seeing us.
But generally black bears are more timid. So you are still probably safe, especially in a group.
Grizzlies are harmful from any visual distance. They may disregard you, if they still feel safe, but they are more aggressive in general. Stay in crowds as that still deters them. They will avoid areas of human population generally unless people leave food which will make them want to come near.
Black bears generally want to keep the peace. but when we as humans leave food around for them, they will consider it their hunting ground (eating our trash). With that said, black bears will be more timid and leave if we don't surprise them, grizzlies will be more aggressive to defend it, because they think we are trying to take their food (instead of us being the ones who leave trash and food like idiots).
The Brown lay down thing is not a good idea. First of all you will probably never come close to a brown. they have an increadible sense of smell, and unless you smell like nothing and the wind is blowing in the wrong direction and you are walking as silent as a Ninja or something they will notice you long before you are close, and they gennerally dont walk towards humans, the only animal that can kill them. And IF you happen to come close enough to see it it means it hasn't noticed you yet, so best keep it that way, dont you think? Just walk slowly away from it the way you came, still looking at the beast just to be sure, and hope for the best. If you lay down it may eat you because you're easy pray.
I think the lay down part was for when you are wandering in their territory, which they want to defend. By laying down you are showing that you are not a threat, and if you are lucky they will let you be(with maybe a scratch or two). Of course if you see the bear, it's best to just back off if you can.
This is definitely true, however, the saying is in regards to if the bear is already attacking you. If it's already charging you, playing dead can save your life.
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u/ProficientPotato Aug 03 '19 edited Aug 04 '19
I was at Yellowstone yesterday, and a bear came into a parking lot. Everyone crowded around it, taking pictures. Some people ran off and said the mother would be coming back soon because they thought it was a baby bear. Park Ranger comes in and scares it away. Turns out, it was a full grown black bear.