Report on MountainNature.com's Test of user's bear knowledge

Date: Updated January 8, 2002

Mountain Nature Network's interactive bear test has

Click Here to view the test
Click Here to view the answers
Click Here to view the actual results broken down question by question
Click Here to see media coverage regarding the release of the results

As of January 8, 2002, 832 people have completed the bear test. The following are some of the results. Since the average user of MountainNature.com is already interested and knowledgeable about the outdoors, the results may be somewhat higher than a random survey would reflect. Most surprisingly, 

• only 53% of respondents could identify the most important food for grizzly bears during August. Almost every attack last summer occurred along trails lined with buffaloberries. Also of interest, few knew just how important those berries were to the bears. Only 33% were aware of just how many berries an adult grizzly could eat in a single day. 

• Barely half of the respondents (51%) knew they should fight back if they feel they are being stalked by a bear.

• Almost a third of respondents, (28%) wrongly believe that grizzly bears are unable to climb trees. While they rarely do, they are fully capable. In the recently published book, The Bear's Embrace, author Patricia Van Tighem details her recovery from a grizzly attack. While hiking in Waterton Lakes National Park, a grizzly attacked her husband, and then climbed 5 m (15 ft) up a tree to pull her down to the ground. She was then also badly mauled. 

• Almost half (48%) believe that bear bells are an effective deterrent. They are not!

• Few understood just how fragile the grizzly population is. For instance only 14% knew that grizzlies usually give birth in their 6th or 7th year. In addition, only 17% realized that they only give birth every 4 years. This is an exceedingly low reproductive rate.

• Recent Press Coverage  (Audio Files in Real Audio Format)

  Listen to a CBC Radio interview revealing the test results.

  Listen to a QR77 Radio Interview about the test results.

  Read an article published in the Crag & Canyon, Aug. 8, 2001