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What to do when you meet a bear?

The most common questions asked by amateur travellers traversing wilderness areas:

  • what to do when you meet a bear? how to behave?
  • when can a bear attack?
  • how does the bear female take care of her cubs?
  •  what does a bear family look like?

Where and at what times of the day is it easiest to see a bear?

  • the most important thing is to remain calm – do not make sudden movements, do not run away, do not shout;
  • you should turn around and slowly walk away;
  • under no circumstances approach the bear, do not try to frighten it;
  • n a direct encounter, if we give the bear a chance it will retreat from the road and hide in the nearest bushes

REMEMBER that you are only temporarily in an area where bears live permanently, so keep quiet and don’t move off designated trails.

DON’T run away, because you will act like prey for the bear. A bear can run at a speed of 50 km/h. Like dogs, they will chase fleeing animals.

Bear attack can be expected in several situations:

  • the unexpected startle of an animal at close distance, such as while foraging in raspberries or on killed prey, while resting;
  • if you get between the mother and the young, which can happen accidentally, especially since in late summer the young move away from the mother even more than 100 meters.

How does the bear female take care of her young?

  • bear female gives birth to 1 to 3 cubs every 2 years and takes care of them for 1.5 years;
  • the cubs follow their mother everywhere, but as time goes by they move farther and
  • farther away from her, e.g. in April-May they stay up to 50 m away, and in the autumn even 100-200 m away;
  • the breeding period lasts from May to July;
  • the pregnancy of a bear lasts about 8 months;
  • birth usually occurs between December and February in a roost;
  • cubs at birth weigh 340-680 gr;
  • at the age of 6 months they weigh about 25 kg;
  • become independent at about 2 years of age.

How does a bear family look like?

  • Bear cubs can reproduce after 4-6 years;
  • adults’ mate from 3 days to 2 weeks;
  • the male is not involved in raising the cubs ;
  • the mother and cubs usually separate during the second year;
  • life expectancy of bears is up to 30-40 years in the wild, and up to 50 years in captivity.

Where in Poland it is easiest to see a bear?

  • The brown bear is strictly protected throughout Poland
  • the bear is the largest predator in the Tatra Mountains – it can be found in every vegetation floor;
  • lives mainly in the zone of coniferous forests, but also ventures into the pine floor, during the ripening of blueberries, cowberries and raspberries, which in autumn are
    its favourite food;
  • their tracks can be found at the foot of the mountains, in alpine forests and in mid-forest clearings;
  • it happens that the bear ventures into the land of crags, easily overcoming rock walls, and through high mountain passes to the southern side of the Tatra mountains.


A close encounter with a bear in Tatra Mountains.

Read in polish.