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ePaper created 2014-01-26, 03:47:43 | version 1.26.00
I will be completely honest in stating that recreating in Alaska’s bear country with my children does make me nervous, even after eight years of living and breathing the wilderness around us. However, after mul- tiple attendances at bear-safety programs geared toward families and after practicing bear-safety techniques, and seeing with my own eyes the posi- tive results of my behavior, I am a more confident mother and recreation enthusiast. You can be, too, with the right information. The American black bear (Ursus americanus) is the smallest in the bear family, and also the most common of the species. Black bears are frequently seen in and around forested areas and, sadly, many Alaska neighborhoods, due to their attraction to trash cans and coolers left on porches, despite warnings from local game officials. Black bears are excellent climbers and can scale a 12-foot fence with little effort, not to mention a tree. They are easily startled and tend to run from humans, but every bear, like every person, is unique and will act differently from its cohorts. Keep in mind that all black bears are not necessarily black in color—they’re a colorful Brown bear 39 Alaska’s Wildlife