[Animals] Disney World bears are more real than people imagine

[FNX Magokiler]

According to experts, the female black bear that got free admission to Disney World's Magic Kingdom likely won't be the last to make a surprise appearance.

Across North America, black bear numbers are increasing rapidly, reclaiming spaces where they have not been seen in more than a century. Florida's nearly 4,000 bears, for example, are surrounded by housing developments, so any wandering animals will likely end up in areas frequented by humans, says Dave Garshelis, co-chair of the International Union's Bear Specialist Group. of Nature Conservation (IUCN) and former biologist for the state of Minnesota (United States).

Disney's bear was relocated to the Ocala National Forest, a reserve of about 1,500 square kilometers located between the large cities of Gainesville and Orlando (The Walt Disney Company is the majority owner of National Geographic Media).

“Black bears thrive in virtually every state where they reside,” which is at least 40 (of the 49 continental states), Garshelis says. "They are very opportunistic animals, which take advantage of all the food resources they can, even if that means being close to a high density of people."

As their habitat shrinks and human development increases, more black bears are venturing into metropolitan areas like Minneapolis and Washington D.C. Garshelis remembers a collared black bear that traveled through five densely po[CENSORED]ted states for a total of 1,200 kilometers before being hit and killed by a car in Louisiana.

 

 

(Related: What you should do if you encounter a wild animal)

The relationship between bears and humans
Contrary to what many believe, bears (even grizzlies) "tolerate people very well," says Daryl Dancer, a British Columbia tour guide. "It's amazing there aren't more negative encounters."

Black bears typically flee when a human approaches, while brown bears (which include the grizzly subspecies) typically remain hidden until the human advances.

"In most cases where a grizzly bear and a human come into close contact, not only is there no attack, but the human likely doesn't know there is a grizzly bear nearby," Garshelis says.

In a recent video widely shared on the Internet, a mother grizzly and her calf appeared to follow a group of hikers in Banff National Park, Canada. Although some wrongly characterized the family as "harassing" hikers, experts say it's much more likely that the bears were simply using the trail to get to their destination.

"If a bear had bad intentions, it would be lurking in the shadows, appearing and disappearing," Dancer says.

As bears and people continue to come into contact, especially in tourist areas, it's important to focus on how we can live in harmony, Dancer says.

(Related: This region of the United States wants its grizzly bears back)

 

https://www.nationalgeographic.es/animales/2023/09/osos-disney-world-nueva-realidad-comunes