Black Bear

There’s been a black bear sighting in our neighborhood this week. Let me tell you that our neighborhood is 100 percent residential. (This is not the bear, BTW.) My understanding is that they hibernate during the winter. Of course, this knowledge comes from watching Yogi Bear cartoons years ago.

So my husband found an article about the sighting, full of tips for what to do if confronted by a bear. Keep in mind that black bears grow to about 5 feet and can weigh 100 to 600 pounds.

From the article in the Salem News:

According to the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, black bears usually shy away from humans. But here are some tips on what to do if you run into one:

1. Stay calm and never approach the bear.
2. Wave your arms and appear as big as possible.
3. Make noise by banging objects or shouting. Do not imitate a bear's growl or other animal noises.
4. If all else fails, throw things at the bear to get him to move on.
5. In the unlikely event that the bear bluff charges, experts advise standing still since the bear usually uses this bluff charge as a warning before turning and moving off. If attacked by a black bear, be aggressive and fight back.
   

Be aggressive and fight back? If a bear catches me in its sights, I'd say my last prayer. Of course, if I could fight it off with my bare hands (get it…BARE hands), think of the poems that would come from the experience.