Wildlife Protection Facts and Information

Large predators don't seek out humans in the wild — in fact, they're more likely to retreat than attack unless threatened. Find out how to protect yourself and the wildlife with the resources below:

Bears

Less than one in two million visitors to national parks have been injured from grizzly bear attacks. There are several things hikers and campers can do to minimize the chance of attacks:

• Store food and garbage properly, out of reach of bears.
• Don't approach grizzly cubs, no matter how cute they look!
• Carry EPA-approved pepper spray, an effective, non-lethal "grizzly repellant".

Sharks

Fewer people are killed by sharks each year than by other natural dangers including bees, crocodiles, and lightning. Humans, however, are killing an estimated 20-100 million sharks per year -- at a faster rate than they can reproduce. To minimize shark attacks:

• Never swim or surf alone, or where sharks are known to congregate.
• Avoid swimming between sandbars, near steep drop-offs, near channels or at river mouths.
• Don't swim near people who are fishing or spear-fishing. Avoid spreading blood or human waste in the water.
• If a shark is sighted in the area, leave the water as calmly and quickly as possible.

Wolves

Ever since the first settlers arrived in the United States, there has been an effort to eliminate wolves from land; historically, wolves have been regarded as menaces, and by 1950, wolves were virtually non-existent in 48 states. However, new research indicates that wolves are, in fact, valuable to our eco-system. Wolves are predators, but that is a fact that keeps the environment in balance.

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