Bears are expressive animals; albeit they don’t communicate vocally too much, they express more with their body language. Different species of bears communicate differently from each other.
When bear’s stress levels increase, they lay their ears back flat on their head, swing their head sideways towards the threat, drool, pop their jaws, often drooling. Bears show stress by vocalizing and frothing at the mouth. During this stage, the bear can charge.
Bears can communicate in different ways depending on various reasons. Every bear has a distinct personality. In combination with age, availability of foods, and species, communication can be different. Like humans, bears are individuals and unpredictable. There are some general trends in bear behavior, and there are always exceptions.
Why do bears foam at the mouth?
If you see a bear frothing at the mouth, they are most likely stressed. Bears often communicate with someone they aren’t comfortable with in their current situation and want their discomfort to stop.
A bear standing and looking at you straight from the front shows a more aggressive posture than a bear looking at you from the side or at an oblique angle. The bear throws its head as before, but the behavior is followed by stomping on the ground with one or both paws in your direction. It can also go back and forth on the spot.
It can also go back and forth on site. If it becomes even more stressed, it can jump with its front legs against a stump, tuft, or similar or take a jump forward with its legs tense while at the same time continuing to occasionally throw its head, yawn, rub and clap its jaws. These are clear signals that the bear perceives you as a threat and that it wants you to disappear.
Although bear attacks are rare and fatalities are rarer – the risk of being killed by a wasp or hit by lightning is higher. However, brown bears, grizzly bears, and polar bears behave differently, and the two latter are more dangerous than brown bears. During 2010-2020 there were 30 fatalities in the US related to bears. Seventeen of them were brown bears, 11 from black bears, and two from polar bears. The majority of all attacks were defensive from a mother bear protecting her cubs.
Why do bears yawn?
Humans show they are tired by yawning, and the same way goes for bears. Yawning is as infectious among bears as it is among humans. However, bears also yawn to show someone they are uninterested in them and want to be left alone. If the disturbing individual keeps disturbing them, it will start to whine, drool, and pop its teeth. The bear will show they are concerned and worried about their presence. If the bear yawns, whines, drools, popping its teeth, it’s time to leave it alone. Walk slowly away from the bear, and keep your eyes on it. Don’t look it straight in the eyes since it will intimidate the bear. Never run from a bear. Please speak with the bear in a calm and low voice while you slowly move from it.
What does it mean when a bear stands up?
Most of the time, when a bear stands on their back legs, they are curious and want to learn more about the situation. They can see farther and smell better standing up. Bears are nearsighted and depend on their nose more than their eyes. A bear standing on two legs is not a sign of aggressiveness but instead curiosity. You might want to learn what it means when a bear growls, read our article here.
💡 Did you know bears have seven times better sense of smell than a bloodhound?
How do you protect yourself from bear attacks?
Visiting the outdoors and physical activities, in general, have many positive benefits for your health and well-being. If you are visiting a forest with bears, there are some precautions you’ll need to take.
Four ways to avoid bear attacks
Carry a bear spray
The best thing to carry with you is a bear spray. Bear sprays are excellent to use if a bear charges you. The bear spray needs to be accessible quickly. Test the spray at home in your yard first, so you know how to use it. I recommend you have the spray in a holster so you can grab it quickly in case of an emergency. Check out good bear sprays and holsters at Amazon here.
Travel in groups
If you are heading out into the wilderness where you know there can be bears, it’s good to bring a friend or two. It’s rare that bears attack, and especially people in groups.
Never startle or surprise a bear.
A mama bear can be lethal if you surprise her and her cubs. Suppose you come in high speed, for example, on a bike, the risk of startling a bear increases. If you see a bear from a distance and they haven’t noticed you yet, the best way is to take another route. Let the bear be unaware of you and take another way around the bear.
Be vocal to the bear.
If you are face to face with a grizzly bear, the best thing is to speak calmly to it. Let it know you are not a threat. If you are face to face with a black bear, the best way is to be loud and act boldly.
What do you do if you are attacked by a bear?
Don’t run
If a bear charges you, there are no points in running. Bears run much faster than you. A grizzly bear can run up to 56km/h or 35 miles/h. The world’s fastest man Usain Bolt runs 44km/h or 27.33miles/h.
Prepare a bear spray
If you are charged by a bear, it’s important to be ready with bear spray. Spray the bear in its face.
If a grizzly bear charges you
If a grizzly bear charges you, the best thing is to stay calm and play dead. A blow from a grizzly can be lethal, and the best thing is to lie on the ground and play dead. Protect your head and neck.
If a black bear charges you.
Fight back as much as you can. Be loud. If the bear gives you space, move away slowly while still focusing on the bear.