Be aware, bears can be anywhere
A Barron County bear attack this week is a reminder for residents and visitors to be aware and exercise caution when it comes to interactions with wildlife.
According to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR), 69-year-old Karen Frye, was attacked and severely injured while outside at her rural residence near the town of Comstock. She was transported to a local hospital and later transferred to another hospital where she is recovering and in stable condition.
The DNR is currently working to trap, evaluate and kill the bears. Killing the animal is necessary, the DNR says because bears that have shown aggressive behavior to people are more likely to do it again. In this case, the woman’s family members noted the bear had shown what the DNR describes as “a sustained series of aggressive behaviors towards the victim.”
Reports of aggressive behavior and black bears attacking or even killing people are rare nationwide, and there have been no recorded incidents of a bear killing a person in Wisconsin. Most bear avoid human contact.
The opportunity for interaction between bear and people increases as people choose to live in more rural or remote locations and during times of year such as summer when more people are spending time in the outdoors where bear live.
Wild animals are just that, wild and as evidenced by the recent Barron County incident can and will attack. While the cause of the recent attack is unknown, the DNR noted there was a cub in the area which may have contributed to the bear’s actions.
Bear cubs are adorable. However, where there is a cub there is almost certain to be a mama bear ready to defend that cub from any threat. To the mama bear the person with a cellphone trying to get a selfie is as much a threat as any predator.
Bears will do what bears will do, and it is up to people to adjust our behavior to minimize the risk of bear attacks. To this end, it is essential for people to reduce the potential for interaction by doing things like removing food attractions from our yards including securing garbage cans, not leaving pet food outdoors and removing bird feeders if bear are in the area.
If people encounter a bear while hiking, hunting or camping, the DNR advises to never approach a bear and to talk to the bear or shout if it doesn’t leave. They also suggest raising your arms above your head to appear larger than you are, slowly backing away and not turning your back on the bear and always leaving an escape route for the bear or any other aggressive animal. The DNR also advises that people should be prepared to fight back if attacked.
