Hiking and Animals

Animals are a great part of nature and are wonderful to get to see in nature, but there are some things that a person should know ahead of time while hiking when it comes to animals. One thing you should know is what types of animals will be in the area that you will be hiking in. If you have children or will be out for multiple days you will not want to go hiking in an area that has grizzly bears.

One important thing to make sure of is that everyone who will be with you knows that you should not feed or pet a wild animal. If you are a parent it would also be suggested that you keep your children away from these animals because some animals such as raccoons can be very vicious and react instinctively. Some of the cutest animals that you see in the wild can also be dangerous. Another reason that they should not be pet is because of diseases that it is possible for them to carry.

When you feed an animal other animals are likely to follow wondering if they will be able to get food also. This can be very dangerous and even more dangerous if you get a very large animal following you. Some people also do not know the correct manners to react to a wild animal such as a bear or a cougar.

If you see a cougar all can do is back away slowly and do not run. If you run from a cougar you will attract their attention as a prey. This means that even if they would not have hurt you they will be more likely to when you run. Another thing you can do is if it seems as though they are about to pounce then get ready to roll and yell or scream as loudly as you can because cougars are very sensitive to sound.

There are three main different types of bears that you may see while hiking and with some you should react differently than with others. You will want to know how to tell them apart head of time. Grizzly bears, you will want to get away from as fast as possible but also without attracting their attention whereas if you see a black bear or brown bear you will want to react differently.

When you see a black bear, they are most likely going after food, but if either a black bear or brown bear get on their hind legs and stand in the air, the last thing you want to do is look like you are a threat, but you also do not want to run. What many would suggest is to try and get close to the ground and get as small as possible because then they are more likely to leave you alone. You will want to bring your arm and legs in so that the bear does not accidentally step on them if it goes to sniff you to see if you are a threat.