brown bear

own bear•elk•wild boarphoto: Ingmar MuusikusEstonian Museum of Natural History•Dangerous Nature: Myths & RealityAllthough very different at first glance, these animals have onething in common – when with offsprings a mother animal canattack a human who is in the wrong place at the wrong time.Young bears learn to sense danger only at half a year old – untilthen they should obey their mother’s orders. The situation getsdangerous when a human unsuspectingly gets between a motherbear and her cubs in early summer, or when curious bear cubsrun to meet a wanderer like puppies. The bear does not aim tokill but to establish a situation that would allow the bear familyto escape. Thus, the recommendation that you should play deadwhen attacked by a bear is fully relevant. Sometimes a bear canalso use a feint – dart toward the human to frighten him butstop before actually attacking. Despite the wish to flee posthasteafter such performance, one should withdraw slowly andbackwards. Rushing off on shaky legs might trigger the bear’schasing instinct.One can get drawn into a vortex of events also without initiallyseeing any animals. At the beginning of May, an elk cow givesbirth to one calf, rarely two. The mother does not stay constantlywith her calf but just comes to nurse it every now and then.Getting close to a small lying calf can remain unnoticed by awanderer but not by the elk cow somewhere in the vicinity...Prospects are better in a situation where one notices a peacefulcalf. In this case, it is best to turn back with all haste and hopewith all your heart for the elk cow to be foraging somewherefarther away. The ability of elk to deliver deadly punches withits front legs is well known also to wolves and bears, whoalways commence a killing attempt on an elk by approaching itfrom behind.animals 5