In Jasper National Park animal encounters happen often, and luckily most go by with no actual physical encounters. Usually an encounter means pulling to the side of the road and catching a glimpse of a bear as it chows down on berries, or a massive bull elk as it grazes on the tall road-side grasses. 

Elsewhere in Canada, attacks from wild animals happen all-too-often. Usually, the animal is “destroyed”, or in layman’s terms, killed. 

Such is the case of several bears on the West Coast who have attacked humans in recent months. While these attacks were vicious and left the people with permanent reminders both physically and emotionally, can we really blame the bears?

The information is out there. We all have a file in the back of our minds with information on what to do if we see a bear. But why don’t we use it?

It’s common knowledge that a mother bear does not appreciate it when anyone comes between her and her cub. Humans can find themselves in these situations accidentally, but bears don’t really understand accidents. A mother bear doesn’t know you’re not trying to hurt her cub – she just knows you’re there, and that she is going to remove you from your position with whatever means necessary. 

After an attack, conservation officers or other officials will in many cases hunt down the animals and kill them. In the case of a recent attack in Lillooet, B.C. at the beginning of July, four bears were killed to find the offending animal – which was eventually identified. This case was fairly different to a typical mother protecting her cub. The bear actually fed on the victim. If there is a justification for the bear being destroyed, that may be it. 

But what about other cases?

At the end of July, a woman was hiking near Topley Landing, B.C., when her dog ran off and returned with a black bear in pursuit. The woman was injured, but the dog managed to fend off the bear long enough for her to escape. Conservation officers hunted for the bear and closed off the area. 

Earlier in July, a man was attacked by a grizzly bear in Rivers Inlet, B.C. while berry picking alone. 

There are so many lessons to be learned from both of these incidents. Keep your dog on the leash, and if they can wriggle out of their collar, use a properly fitted harness. Places where berries grow are bear country. Go with a friend, and be aware of your surroundings. 

There is no evidence to suggest that killing a bear prevents the next one from attacking, so perhaps the best idea is to heighten human awareness. But that has been done for years – why aren’t people listening, and why are the animals the ones paying the price?

If humans are not heeding the warnings when in bear country, then perhaps those humans who are distributing this knowledge should rethink their approach. Closures of areas to protect not only the humans from themselves, but the bears, might be a great place to start. 

Humans are letting the bears top us on the food chain – and the retaliation is to kill the bears, to re-take our space as the top dogs. Maybe it’s time to admit the bears might be outsmarting us.