In the national parks, bears break into parked cars in parking lots and campgrounds every night - over 1,300 cars in Yosemite alone in 1998. They will enter a campsite even if people are present. To keep them under control, do not leave food (or any item with a smell, such as sunscreen) in your car. Store everything in one of the bear-proof containers. Place all garbage in the bear-proof dumpsters. It's not only a common sense precaution, it's the law and cars found containing food after dark can be impounded.
If you see a bear, do not approach it, regardless of its size. Act immediately: wave your arms, yell, clap your hands, bang pots together, throw small sticks and stones to scare it. If you are with other people, stand together to look more intimidating. Keep your distance, and do not surround the bear; give it a way to escape. Be especially careful with a mother bear who has cubs. If the bear has taken some of your belongings or food, DO NOT try to get them back. Report all bear encounters to a ranger right away.
Follow these suggestions to keep safe:
- Cars: Never leave food or scented items inside. Take out infant seats and child seats. They smell like food and will attract the bears.
- Campsites: If metal boxes are provided, use them for all your food items, and anything else with an odor. Latch the box completely. If no bxoes are available, seal everything in plastic to cut down on odors and store it in your car trunk.
- Backpacking: Bears can defeat any attempt to hand your food in a tree. Instead, store food in portable canisters. They weight less than three pounds and will hold enough food for up to 5 days. If you don't have one, you can buy or rent them at park visitor centers.
