Brown bears, which include the North American grizzly, share their territory with humans in many regions. Humans are not a standard food source for these animals. While attacks do happen, they are extremely rare events compared to the number of human-bear encounters that occur without incident annually. The vast majority of these conflicts are driven by the bear’s instinct to defend itself or its resources, not by a desire to prey on a human for food.
Natural Diet and Feeding Habits
Brown bears are omnivores, consuming both plant and animal matter. Their caloric intake is heavily reliant on vegetation in many inland areas, where plants may constitute 80 to 90 percent of their diet. They forage extensively for roots, bulbs, grasses, and forbs, using their long, strong claws to dig efficiently.
Seasonal changes dictate their feeding habits. Summer and fall are periods of hyperphagia, or intense feeding, used to build fat reserves for hibernation. During this time, they gorge on berries and actively seek out protein sources. These sources range from insects and small mammals like ground squirrels to larger prey such as elk calves or carrion.
The Distinction Between Predatory and Defensive Attacks
The difference between a defensive and a predatory attack is defined by the bear’s motivation and behavior. Most aggressive interactions are defensive, meaning the bear perceives the human as a direct threat to itself, its young, or its food. A defensive bear is often surprised and exhibits signs of stress like huffing, jaw-popping, or a stiff stance with ears pinned back. Such an attack is typically over once the human is no longer viewed as a danger, which is why playing dead is the recommended response.
Predatory attacks, where a bear views a human as potential prey, are uncommon. A bear acting predatorily will display different behavioral cues, often stalking or circling a person with an intense focus and without showing signs of stress. The bear’s approach is deliberate and methodical, indicating that its intent is to hunt. This encounter requires the human to fight back aggressively to convince the bear that the effort is not worth the risk.
Common Triggers for Bear Encounters
Conflict frequently arises from situations that trigger a brown bear’s instinct to defend itself or its resources. Surprising a female bear with cubs is the most common scenario leading to an attack. The bear’s protective instinct is intense, particularly when the human is close enough to be considered a direct danger to her offspring.
Encountering a brown bear actively feeding on or guarding a carcass is another volatile situation. Bears are fiercely protective of these concentrated food sources. Bears can also become habituated to human food when they repeatedly gain access to improperly stored garbage or camp food. This habituation can cause a bear to lose its natural wariness of people and begin to associate humans with an easy meal.
Strategies for Minimizing Risk
Signaling your presence and eliminating human attractants are the most effective ways to avoid a dangerous encounter. Hikers should make noise by talking loudly, clapping, or calling out periodically, especially when moving through dense vegetation or around blind corners. Proper food storage requires all scented items, including toiletries and garbage, to be secured in bear-proof containers or hung a safe distance from a campsite.
Carrying bear spray is considered the most effective personal deterrent. If an encounter escalates into an attack, the correct response depends on the bear’s motivation. For a defensive brown bear attack, lie flat on your stomach, cover your neck with your hands, and remain still to show the bear you are no longer a threat. If the attack is predatory, the person must fight back with all available means to demonstrate that they are not easy prey.