How can people in grizzly bear country avoid attracting bears?
There are many specific things people can do to avoid attracting bears, either grizzly or black. Good sanitation is key to many of these. Odors attract bears to potential food items; their curiosity can even attract them to items that are not food, such as petroleum products and toiletries. Carefully controlling odors associated with food and products which humans use helps prevent bears from being habituated to being near people. This means that we need to store our food, garbage, cooking gear, and toiletries where bears cannot get them. Once conditioned to human sources of food or garbage, a bear is dangerous. It may approach humans closely and come into camps or near homes to search for food. The Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee has published pamphlets and posters describing how to hike and camp safely in bear country. The North Cascades Grizzly Bear Outreach Project (GBOP) has also produced information brochures and a website about grizzly bears and tips for coexistence (www.bear
Source: Frequently Asked QuestionsThere are many specific things people can do to avoid attracting bears, either grizzly or black. Good sanitation is key to many of these. Odors attract bears to potential food items; their curiosity can even attract them to items that are not food, such as petroleum products and toiletries. Carefully controlling odors associated with food and products which humans use helps prevent bears from being habituated to being near people.