In a video with thousands of upvotes on Reddit, a group of vacationers is accused of habituating bears to human rental areas by potentially tempting them with food.
The video, posted to the subreddit r/TerrifyingAsF***, shows a family of bears circling a cabin. People on the cabin deck film the animals — seemingly unaware of the danger they're in — but quickly run away once one of the bears climbs over the gate.
"My assumption is the bears are this calm around people here because other tourists continually feed them," wrote one user in the comment section.
Bears are endlessly intriguing animals, so wanting to get near them to get a better look is a natural curiosity. Still, this act can cause far more harm than good, potentially endangering humans, bears, and the environment.
As stated by the National Park Service, "Keeping your distance and not surprising bears are some of the most important things you can do."
The agency wrote about ways to avoid dangerous bear encounters, highlighting that it's important not to allow the bear to access your food. An article on bears from the State of Vermont made clear the dangers of habituation:
"When bears become used to these food sources and have frequent contact with humans, they become more dependent on human foods and less wary. This is bad news for the bears. This puts bears at increased risk to vehicle collisions and of being killed in defense of property."
As a result, there is a great need to distance yourself from bears, especially in areas where they are increasingly used to interacting with humans.
To mitigate the habituation of bears and keep yourself safe, it's recommended to keep your food away from bear-accessible areas. Pack up all that you brought with you and leave no trace. Furthermore, never get close to bears as it puts yourself and the bears at risk of danger. Whether provoked or not, animals that injure humans are often euthanized.
Commenters were in agreement over the tourists' behavior.
TCD Picks » Upway Spotlight
💡Upway makes it easy to find discounts of up to 60% on premium e-bike brands
|
Do you think America does a good job of protecting its natural beauty? Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. |
Definitely 👍 "The disconnect of the average person to wildlife often ends in tragedy for the wildlife," one wise Redditor said.
"Lucky they're alive," wrote another user. "[She] had her cubs with her."
Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Cool Picks
