Officials remind us to respect bears to avoid conflict

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) - Amid more reports of bear attacks, officials are asking us to respect and recognize how to deal with bears. They say we need to live in harmony with bears especially here since they are found in most areas around Idaho.

When they aren't hibernating in the winter, most bears are looking for food. They will look for anything from garbage to other animals for a meal. They use their excellent sense of smell to be able to pick up any source of food. Their smell can pick up anything as far as five miles away.

If we encounter a bear, we should know they will look at us as food. The trick is being able to do the right thing to trick the bear.

The right tactic depends on which bear we come into contact with. For black bears, we should want to stand tall against them. We want to intimidate black bears into thinking they are not as powerful as us even though that is not at all the truth. Making loud noises and being in a group can help with this too.

Grizzly bears, however, know they are stronger than us. We should instead pretend we are dead when encountering grizzly bears. They might not believe we are animals if we do not move.

The best trick against all bears is the bear spray. This is especially true if you cannot tell what kind of bear you are up against. The spray will create a gaseous cloud that will temporarily harm the bear.

Thankfully, there have been no fatalities reported within the state of Idaho ever due to a bear attack and officials hope that it stays that way.