Ask A Bear: How Many Bear Attacks, Really?

Got a burning ursine question? Ask our resident bruin expert in our weekly feature, 'Ask A Bear.'

Q: Why all the fuss about bears in every issue of the magazine? You make it sound like there are constant bear attacks. How many bear attacks are there annually in the USA, and how are they distributed across the regions?—Larry Conley, via email

A: Face it, Larry: People love me. They always have, and they always will—in a recent homepage poll, 40 percent of respondents said they most want to see me in the wild (wolves came in second with 34 percent, and cougars came in third with 26 percent. Losers.). Big ups to Teddy Roosevelt, who helped enshrine me in plush, and your kids will love me forever for it.

This is of course when they're not terrified of me (I also top the list of outdoor phobias). Both of these are pretty compelling reasons to ensure I get covered a whole lot. But believe it or not, our editors can show restraint, as when they elected not to use a particularly terrifying shot of me for our phobias issue. (There's not enough peanut butter in the world to make me forgive those fools for that).

It's pretty hard to compile bear attacks statistics on the whole, and my buddies usually don't like to brag about it, so let's take a look at fatal bear attacks, which are better covered because they almost always make the news and can be tracked by experts like Stephen Herrero and Tom Smith.

In the 2000s, there have been 27 fatal incidences so far in North America, resulting in 29 deaths. 15 were in Canada, three were in Alaska, two were in Tennessee, and single fatal attacks happened in New York, New Mexico, California, Pennsylvania, Colorado, Utah and Montana. 17 of those attacks were perpetrated by black bears, and 10 by grizzlies.

What can we learn from this, other than don't go to Canada (kidding!)? In truth, you don't have much to fear: That averages to just under 3 fatalities a year, when millions of people go into the backcountry or live near bear habitat. 26 people get killed by dogs every year, and 90 people are killed every year by lightning.

I can throw statistics at you all day about how getting killed by me is less likely than getting struck by lightning, but it wouldn't matter. I'm an enduring myth as old as humanity itself, with deep cultural ties that probably come from when we used to compete directly in forests and caves. That's never going to cease capturing your imagination, and it's a good thing, too—otherwise I wouldn't have a job.

The only thing that even comes close is a shark. Thank Ursa Major they don't live in Yellowstone or Glacier.

—BEAR

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READERS COMMENTS

ouw..thats great, i'll come back to read this blog. i love it very much.
Posted: Feb 02, 2010 Ariyadi Arnas

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Posted: Dec 22, 2009 henrylow

I have to admit that I could "bearly" get through the fatal facts above... However, I rather enjoyed it too. I am specifically curious in reading a couple of the post about bears stretching outside of known habitats - This was a recent debate between a group of friends in the area that have had mythical stories of personal encounters in our area of the BH. What is the likely hood that there are such animals in the Black Hills of SD? Like the Mountain Lion and Elk in our area they are growing and becoming more commmon, as they really didn't live here when I was growing up. Couls/is that the case with Bear in the BH (ref Mr. Booher's post)? BH are located about 200 miles from the Big Horns and just this past summer we had a Moose strole through Custer State Park. I realize the Elk in this area were introduced, but I am pretty certain that is not the case for the ML. Thanks.
Posted: Dec 08, 2009 Ben from the BeautifulBlackHills

I live in Alaska and usually see both Black Bears and Grizzly Bears each summer (summer before last was a record though - total of 14 evenly split between the two species). I've had three close encounters, once with a Grizzly about 30 feet behind me (I was fishing and didn't know it was there until it started tearing open someone elses cooler), once with a Grizzly about 20 feet away and once with a Black Bear less than 10 feet away (in both instances I walked up on them before seeing them). In each case the bear backed down, but I made sure I wasn't making any kind of threat to the individual bear. Preparation is key - learn bear behaviors, proper camp setup and food storage if in the backcountry. I also carry a couple of canisters of pepper spray, but have yet to have to use one.
Posted: Dec 06, 2009 Ralph

I quote statistics like these everytime I get a load of concern from family and friends for when I go solo-hiking. It never fails, though, people are just really concerned about the prevelance of bear attacks. Although, I wonder if perhaps it is more THEIR phobia about bear attacks and nothing more. I can die so many ways while alone like in a car accident, slipping in the tub, electricution, and the list goes on and on. I can't live my life in fear of what "may happen." All I can do (and I do) is be careful and take precautionary steps.
Posted: Dec 06, 2009 Sure Foot

I have gotten unexpectedly close to bears several times and never had a problem. Black bears are generally more scared of you that you are of them--a couple ran up trees, and a couple ambled quietly off the others either walked through the campsite as i watched or took off running.

Now unsecured food is lible to become bear food but with proper hanging is not a problem--few years back my 11 year old was scouting firewood as i was reading in shelter in Shenandoah and whe cam running up saying bear daddy bear and we watched it as it looked up at the food bag on the bear pole and then ambled up the hill scratching for food.

At Philmont in NM I had a bear check out my mini backpacking tackle box (fish smell) about 5 yards behind me as i was fishing but he ambled off as i took pics.
Posted: Dec 03, 2009 Frank

Greg, I'm assuming the difference in the count is because there were 27 instances but perhaps there were 2 or 3 people that were killed at one time in one of those instances.
Posted: Dec 03, 2009 Heather

The night before my wife and I hiked into Watertown Park (Canada side of Glacier) we talked to a beef producer who farms just outside Waterton Peace Park. He told me (I too am a cow-calf producer) about the calves he had lost to Grizzlies that have come out of the park spring 2009 and consummed young calves. He said, and I would wonder if he is correct that there are so many bears in Glacier Park that they are beginning to search for food. If this is the case, could there be a problem developing for hikers? Our couple nights hiking into the Hole in the Wall was uneventful. We obey the rules, but is that going to be enough in the future? Read Night of the Grizzly from 1970. Hungry bears as hungry people go to desperate majors to survive.
Greg Booher
Posted: Dec 03, 2009 Greg Booher

"27 fatal incidences so far in North America, resulting in 29 deaths"? (Counting the 'location' numbers = 27.)

Like Jacques, I'm a faithful reader of your articles - thanks!
Posted: Dec 03, 2009 Greg in California

I am the Provincial Program Coordinator for the British Columbia Bear Aware Program and I want to say that I follow all your Ask a Bear articles and think that the information you give is great. I think the questions being asked are very good and you cover the subject very well.

Good Job!

jacques@bccf.com
Posted: Dec 02, 2009 Jacques Drisdelle

Hm. I live in West Yellowstone. Just a stones throw from The Park (I'm snotty about Yellowstone the same way people in S.F. prefer it be called The City.) I thought there were more deaths than that in the past 10 years.

One thing you don't mention in your article are attacks that are non-fatal. You have those stats anywhere?

Posted: Dec 01, 2009 Jerry from Montana