Predators in the Alps
You are taking a nice walk, enjoying the beautiful view and the wonderful mountain air and suddenly your path crosses that of a wolf or bear. For many people this is not something to look forward to, but it can happen to you. Rest assured though; the chance that you will come face to face with one of these predators is small. They themselves are not interested in meeting people and will therefore do their best to avoid you. And don't blame them, because in the past we were certainly a species to be reckoned with. It is not without reason that there were few wolves and bears in the Alps. The chance of encountering a wolf or bear in the mountains is therefore small.
What should you do if you encounter a wolf in the mountains?
You may have read something by now about how to deal with wolves if you encounter them. Ultimately, a wolf in the Netherlands or Germany is no different than a wolf in the Alps and at first I would say; enjoy the moment! Wolves are very shy animals, so the chance of seeing one is small. If you are lucky enough to admire such an animal, take a photo or make a video. Of course you want to have proof of your special moment.
But, suppose the wolf turns out not to be that shy and therefore doesn't run away immediately. What then?
- Above all, stay calm and don't run away. It may be that the wolf still needs to realize what you are and then still goes its own way. When you run you look like fleeing prey and that makes you interesting. It stimulates his hunting instinct and you don't want that.
- Make yourself great. You can do this by raising your arms in the air. Do you have walking sticks? Then put it in the air. This way you look extra large!
- Walk slowly backwards while continuing to keep an eye on the animal. Is it coming after you? Then you can throw stones or sticks. Fortunately, you will find plenty of them in the mountains.
The chance that a wolf will actually attack you is very small. He doesn't want that at all and will only do it if he thinks it is the only option. If it does happen, it will probably only bite once so that it can then run away. Do you have a walking stick or regular stick at hand? Then you can use it to defend yourself and stay away from the animal.
Help, a bear in the alps!
A bear is of a completely different caliber than a wolf. While a wolf will avoid the attack, a bear is a little different. They are also not looking forward to meeting us, but they are less easy to predict. Especially if he didn't hear you coming and is therefore shocked by you. The chance of seeing a bear in the mountains is small, but it is possible. The bears in the Alps are European brown bears and they can grow quite large. Yet these omnivores would also rather avoid us than get into a fight with us. So should you be afraid of encountering a bear in the mountains? No, but if it happens you naturally want to know what to do.
What should you do if you see a bear?
- Stay calm, just like with the wolf. Did the bear see you? Then speak in a low, calm tone.
- Walk back slowly and keep an eye on the bear. Whether he has seen you or not, running away is what you want to do, preferably in a different direction.
- Don't stare at the bear, but keep an eye on it. Staring can seem threatening.
- Give the bear space to run away. Are you in his path? Then turn in a different direction so that the bear can pass.
- Don't run! Just like with the wolf, this can actually encourage the bear to come after you and he is faster than you are.
There is a good chance that the bear will not come after you at all and will choose the hare path itself. If he stands on his hind legs, this means that he wants to take a closer look at what you are. So it is not an expression of aggression, but pure curiosity and a way to see everything clearly.
What should you do if the bear attacks you?
1. Keep your backpack on your back and do not throw it at the bear to distract it. Your backpack can protect you when the bear attacks you. So you want to keep this on your back at all times. It's the only barrier you have between his claws and teeth and your body.
2. Make yourself as small as possible on the floor with your legs folded underneath you, your elbows pressed against your body and your hands clasped behind your neck to protect your neck.
People are not on the bear's menu and once it realizes that you are not a threat to him or her, it will probably leave you alone. You can suffer bite wounds and the claws are not nice either, but if you follow these tips, hopefully you can live to tell the tale.
Continue to enjoy your walk, regardless of the wildlife.
After reading all this, you will hopefully go into the mountains a little more relaxed and prepared. Have a nice chat along the way or sing a song, so that the wild animals hear you coming and, above all, continue to enjoy all the beauty around you. We have to live together and if we give the wolves and bears space, they will do the same for us. If it were up to them, we would never even meet. Do you see tracks during your walk that indicate the presence of a bear or wolf? Then ignore these and do not follow them. Avoiding an encounter is always better than having to put my tips into practice.
