Share

Rating: 0.0 (0 votes)

• • 

The deadly bear attack at Soda Butte Campground may have you concerned about your future camping trips. Grizzly bear expert and host of the National Geographic show "Nat Geo Wild," Casey Anderson, says that events like this are rare, but are a good lesson to play it safe when it comes to being in the wild.

"The last stat I heard prior to this year was that there were only six grizzly caused fatalities in the Yellowstone ecosystem. So it's very rare. Don't be afraid of bears when something like this happens. Kind of look at this situation, see how we could handle it better. I mean it's a shame what happened, especially the loss of life and nobody's fault. But there are things that we can do in the future to help ourselves," says Anderson.

Anderson notes that there are several things that you can do while you are outdoors to protect yourself in the event of a bear encounter. One thing you can use while camping is a bear electric fence. You run the fence, which is powered by batteries, around your tent. By doing this, any bears that approach the tent will receive a shock, protecting you and your campsite.

Also practice safe food storage, ensuring that there is nothing out there to tempt the bear into your campsite. Another item that is important if you are hiking is bear spray. This device will work very well if a bear is getting to close to you, spray the pepper spray toward the bear, and he will retreat.

Anderson also says that events like this, as tragic as they are, should serve as a learning opportunity.