Chuck Woodbury, editor of RVTravel.com, writes in this week’s RVTravel Newsletter about his childhood encounters with bears in Yellowstone National Park and how attitudes have changed over the years. Back then, in the late-50s, it was common for tourists to feed wildlife. Today it is strictly forbidden–to protect the wildlife as much as humans.
A couple of weeks back while visiting Glacier National Park, I was one of many who spotted a two-year-old cinnamon-colored black bear foraging for berries near Apgar Campground. Park authorities were aware of the cub and keeping track of his movements.
Park Ranger Bill Schustrom, who has been with the park service for 37 years, said that since they have been keeping records at Glacier, there have been 5-times as many confirmed deaths by drowning than by bear attack–52 by drowning versus 10 by bear.
The vast majority of the time, wildlife will avoid contact with humans. For more information on this read Richard Johnson’s informative article in Camping Life magazine, “Living with Wildlife: How To Enjoy The Wilderness Without Conflict With Its Inhabitants“
Photo: Ruth Woodbury, 1958. RVTravel.com
