• Version
• Download 6
• File Size 238.87 KB
• Create Date 1 January 1999
• Download

I analyzed 515 reliable reports of bear (Ursus arctos) observations and encounters in Austria during 1990-96 with respect to season, time of day, profession and activity of the observer, distance to the bear, reaction of the bear, and reaction of humans. Most commonly, bears were observed by hunters or foresters at dawn or dusk, when observers were driving a car on a forest road or hunting from a blind. Tourists and mushroompickers seldom met bears. Bears normally fled or slowly withdrew when they encountered humans, but in about 25% of the cases bears acted indifferent or curious. Ten percent of the encounters were potentially dangerous. Three females with cubs, surprised at close distance, and 2 subadult bears, harassed at a feeding site, started false attacks. Two radiocollared females were seen more often when they had cubs than when they had not, and a higher percent of sightings with cubs were during the day.