Scientists run into bears often in the wild. Black Bears especially run into people more than a Kodiak or Grizzly.
Black Bears will observe people and mimic their behavior.
A short story. I was working along East Lake Ontario. I was one of four scientists working in that region. There were Black Bears in the region. The other set of scientists drove to a distant area to conduct surveys of wildlife. They were there one day and conducted work without any interruption. The next day they were riding together in their truck when at the top of the hill there was someone? some thing? standing in the middle of the road. Dirt road. It was standing there like a man would stand. Upright.
As the two men got closer to the top of the hill they realized it was Black Bear. They stopped the truck and decided a different road would be better. What occurred was bonding. The Black Bear observed them the day before without their notice. The next day the Black Bear went to the road where the truck was known to travel and stood upright to greet them.
Needless to say the company of the Black Bear was not welcome. Seeing a Black Bear enter a closed door to a high school or mall is not surprising. They observe people and learn. They can do many things. I was visiting a friend and he told me a very amusing story.
He was working in a wildness area and stopped his work for the day and set up a tent. He went to sleep. The next day he woke and opened the tent to exit it and there was a Black Bear sleeping next to the tent. When my friend disturbed the sleep of the Black Bear there was a startle response by both of them and the Black Bear ran off into the forest. We don't know what the Black Bear thought he was sleeping next to, but, we are fairly sure it might have been a breeding issue.
Black Bears will observe people and mimic their behavior.
A short story. I was working along East Lake Ontario. I was one of four scientists working in that region. There were Black Bears in the region. The other set of scientists drove to a distant area to conduct surveys of wildlife. They were there one day and conducted work without any interruption. The next day they were riding together in their truck when at the top of the hill there was someone? some thing? standing in the middle of the road. Dirt road. It was standing there like a man would stand. Upright.
As the two men got closer to the top of the hill they realized it was Black Bear. They stopped the truck and decided a different road would be better. What occurred was bonding. The Black Bear observed them the day before without their notice. The next day the Black Bear went to the road where the truck was known to travel and stood upright to greet them.
Needless to say the company of the Black Bear was not welcome. Seeing a Black Bear enter a closed door to a high school or mall is not surprising. They observe people and learn. They can do many things. I was visiting a friend and he told me a very amusing story.
He was working in a wildness area and stopped his work for the day and set up a tent. He went to sleep. The next day he woke and opened the tent to exit it and there was a Black Bear sleeping next to the tent. When my friend disturbed the sleep of the Black Bear there was a startle response by both of them and the Black Bear ran off into the forest. We don't know what the Black Bear thought he was sleeping next to, but, we are fairly sure it might have been a breeding issue.
They scared each other, so he/she ran away. There is the idea sleeping next to an unknown intruder would insure the Black Bear had control.
Do not try this at home.
