The bears are out in force and the tourist season is underway at Yellowstone National Park so inevitably clashes between bears and humans will occur. Such was the case Saturday when a bear stood up and leaned against a truck with its paws.
Obviously it was searching for food.
“Never feed wildlife,” park spokesperson Linda Veress told USA Today/For The Win. “Bears are smart and learn new food sources quickly. Allowing bears to obtain human food even once often leads to them becoming aggressive toward people when they come back looking for more. Aggressive bears threaten human safety and eventually must be removed from the park or killed.”
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So what are visitors to do when a bear leans on your truck or car?
“If a bear approaches or touches your car, honk your horn and drive away to discourage this behavior,” Veress said.
The above photo of a cinnamon black bear leaning on the truck was in the Tower-Roosevelt area. A year ago, a black bear previously fed by people in the Mammoth Hot Springs area put its paws on a door and looked into the vehicle’s windows. Another bear near Yellowstone Lake went up to a car and played with the antenna.
Bears grow accustomed to people and view them as food sources, so tourists are urged to heed the instructions by park officials.
Photo courtesy of Yellowstone National Park.
