'Bearanoid': Being Prepared and Informed in Bear Country
“Hilary! A grizzly just killed a mother and her baby in the Yukon!”
I heard that more than once when I was preparing to move from Vancouver to Beaver Creek. I heard it from my grandma, my dad, my boss, and more than a few friends. Each of their statements had a common undertone: are you sure you want to move there?!
To be fair, at that point, I wasn’t entirely convinced the move to remote Yukon was the perfect decision, but I was moving regardless. Now, I am much more convinced (no, positive) that the move was the perfect decision. But, that doesn’t eliminate the fact that bears are present here. In fact, it’s pretty safe to say, I live in bear country.
When I first arrived in the Yukon, bears were the least of my concerns. I was a more worried about the frigid cold (i.e. -47 degrees), losing my way in the near 24-hour darkness, and the wolves I’d been told about. The bears were hibernating (although, I know now that there is no guarantee that bears, especially grizzlies, are hibernating during the winter).
Now that the warmer weather has arrived, the bears are out. I’ve seen many a bear from the safety of our Tacoma, and I’ve seen tracks and scat while walking the dogs.
They’re here.
I carry my bear spray diligently. I try to travel in groups, and when I am alone, I talk to myself. Loudly. About all sorts of things. God help the person who overhears my trail-walk musings. Occasionally, I yell, “Hey, bear! I’m just passing through. Just visiting!” When I’m cycling, I play my music over the speaker and sing along (that alone should be enough to scare away every bear in the Yukon). I read a 30-page handbook on bear behaviour and ways in which to respond when encountering a bear.
You could call me ‘bearanoid’.
But being ‘bearanoid’ isn’t a bad thing. The wiser, more experienced outdoors people around here tell me that it’s important to be prepared. Not only are the chances of an encounter higher here than they are in a more populated area, the remote nature of our community means that help isn’t always nearby. Preparation is important with most things in life, but it feels all the more significant out here. Especially during bear season.
It’s also important to be informed. A few weeks ago, a friend living in the community (a tough, knowledgeable northerner) sent me an article by Eva Holland about the fatal grizzly attack that took the lives of 37-year-old Valérie Théorêt and her ten-month old baby, Adèle. The very attack my friends and relatives warned me about before I moved north.
The article was thought-provoking. It singled out mainstream news sources, suggesting they instigated a “destructive media storm” with little or no regard for the impact their coverage had on Valérie and Adèle’s family, friends, and the wider northern community. Media outlets have a responsibility, Holland argues. A responsibility to inform their readers, viewers, and listeners of the true facts, and all the facts. Further, they have a responsibility to respect the privacy and grieving process of those impacted, both directly and indirectly.
Holland waited to publish her piece. She waited until the coroner’s report came out in March 2019. She presented the facts. She informed her readers that the bear was “18 years old and starving”. She wrote that he had recently eaten a porcupine and had suffered internal injuries as a result. The bear had stalked Valérie and Adèle, and no amount of preparation could have prevented the attack.
Since living up north, I’ve come to terms with the fact that I live among wildlife. I’ve learned from my neighbours and from my own experiences. I’ve learned from reading articles like Holland’s. And, the things I’ve learned make me feel confident when I’m in the bush. OK, let’s not say confident, but definitely more confident.
Bear attacks in the Yukon are rare. Holland notes that since 1996, there have been three fatal bear attacks in the Yukon. When compared to the number of bears, the number of residents, and the number of visitors in the Yukon per year, the attacks are staggeringly low.
Of course the friends and family members who insinuated, “the Yukon is no place for a city girl” didn’t know that fact. It’s easy to be ill-informed about Yukon bear attacks when you live in the city. There is no need to know! You’re thinking about which intersections have the highest traffic fatalities and where a crosswalk would be helpful. What’s the point of becoming informed about bear attacks?
But in bear country, we have an obligation to be informed.
It’s our responsibility to read up on bear behaviour, to know how to respect bears’ territory, and to understand both the dangers and realities of a bear attack (and the reality is, attacks aren’t that common!).
For me, the outdoors have become a way to cope with (and learn to love) the changes that come with a drastic move that meant being away from family and friends and living in relative isolation. It’s nature, bears and all, that makes this the place where I want to be. It’s nature that makes not only the sunny days, but also the bitterly cold days, and the stormy days so worthwhile. Although I sometimes feel nervous that I might encounter a bear on my walks, I’ll take the nervousness over staying indoors. As Holland says, “those of us who love the outdoors understand: staying inside is no option at all.”
Maybe life is a little like this ‘should-I-shouldn’t-I-go-outside’ bear predicament. In life, there’s generally the safer route and the riskier route. The safer route might seem like obvious choice — easy and danger-free. The riskier route may seem overwhelmingly daunting. However, it’s possible to take that more challenging route if one plans and strategizes to mitigate risk. And in the end, for some of us, the riskier route might garner greater rewards in terms of happiness and fulfillment.
Say for example my move to Beaver Creek. Was it risky? Yes! I said goodbye to a life of stability, and very possibly to a career, but I sketched out a plan and realised that this riskier route was totally possible. I was willing to take the gamble. Has it made me happy? It’s made me the happiest I’ve ever been.
So, of course there’s a risk of being outside in bear country. But it’s a risk you can plan for. A risk you can be informed about, and one you can reduce significantly by taking certain precautions. But if it makes you happy to be outside, like it does for me…well then, go! Get outside! Just don’t forget your bear spray.
Note:
If you’re heading out in bear country, check out these resources for more information about staying safe:
Government of Yukon’s ‘Stay Safe in Bear Country’
Yukon Hiking’s ‘Bear Facts’
Travel Yukon’s ‘How to Stay Bear-Aware’
