Bathtime with Corky

Have you ever wondered how bears stay clean? Well Corky is one of our Grizzly Bears and he will show you how he stays lookin' so handsome!

Myth #4: Bears can't run downhill

There is a well-known myth that says that if you're being chased by a bear, then you should run downhill because bears can't run downhill. The myth justifies this conclusion by saying that a bears front legs are shorter than it's hind legs, so it can't run downhill.This is FALSE. Bears can outrun you no matter where you try to run. They can run just as fast downhill as they can uphill. They can actually run over 37 miles per hour! That's FAST!!! So don't try running downhill...it wont help. Just stay smart in bear country and you'll be fine!   (this information was found in Bear-ology by Sylvia Dolson)

Myth #3: If a Bear is standing on its hind legs, then it is getting ready to charge you....run!!!

This myth couldn't be more false. Bears can see, hear, and smell better standing up than they can when they are down on all four legs. So when they are standing up they are just trying to see what is in front of them. Cubs especially stand up a lot just to see over the grass. However, there are signs that do indicate that a bear is going to attack. Those signs include: direct eye contact, hanging its head low with its ears laid back, and making woofing, grunting, moaning, or barking sounds. These all indicate that the bear feels threatened. Come back later to find out what to do if you find yourself in an encounter with a bear, but for now be assured that a bear on 2 legs only means “I sense something interesting!!!”

Myth 2: If charged by a Bear, climb a tree

 This one is relatively simple to answer....Bears are actually excellent climbers! Black Bears are the better climbers between Black Bears and Grizzlies, but Grizzlies can also climb trees, just not as fast as a Black Bear. Moral of the story: don't climb a tree if a bear charges you...they'll follow you up there, and then you'll be stuck up a tree with a bear!

Myth #1: Bears have bad eyesight

This is actually a common misconception. Yes, bears do have an amazing sense of smell, but it does not make up for a lack of vision because they actually have excellent eyesight. Bears can see just as well as humans do during the daytime, but it is during the night that their fantastic vision pulls out all the stops. Like your family’s dog or cat, bears have amazing night vision. There is a reflective membrane on the back of their eye called the tapetum lucidum which reflects light and causes light sensitive cells to react a second time to the light and therefore greatly enhances their vision at night. This is why if you see a picture of them at night, their eyes look greenish.  So don’t be fooled….those bears will probably see you before you see them! (info found in "Bear-ology" by Sylvia Dolson)

Bear Myths? Or Bear Facts?

The next several posts will be about the common myths that are well known about bears. Hopefully we will be able to dispel some of the common misconceptions about our furry friends.

Do you know where Teddy bears come from?

     Most of us have had a Teddy bear that we cuddled with, that comforted us when we were scared, or that was a playmate in some of our wild adventures as children, but how many of us actually know why they are called "teddy bears"? Who is Teddy? Why are these cute little stuffed animals named after him? Well here are some answers!

     Theodore Roosevelt was President of the United States in the early nineteen hundreds, and he went by the nickname "Teddy". In 1902 He was hunting for bears in Mississippi, but after a long time and no success his friends decided to track down a bear that the President could shoot so that he wouldn't come back from the hunt empty handed. They managed to find and corner a Black Bear and tied him to a tree for the President to kill. President Roosevelt refused to kill the animal himself, but told the others to kill it to put it out of its misery. News traveled fast, and soon there was a political cartoon of this event in the newspapers. Morris Michtom was a businessman in New York who's attention was caught by the story. His wife designed a toy bear and Michtom wrote and asked President Roosevelt if they could name it after him. President Roosevelt agreed and thats how we got "Teddy bears"! (this information was found in Bear-ology by Sylvia Dolson)