Bear Awareness

Course Overview:

Bear Awareness, also known as Wilderness Awareness, is an Entry-Level Core Training course useful for anyone who may be working in remote areas with a high risk of encountering wildlife. This course is also available at the "Become an Instructor" level. Supplemental courses depend entirely on the specific field of work.

Learning Objectives & Specific Outcomes:

Workers in remote or wilderness locations are presented with hazards specific to their environment including wild animals (i.e. bears), poor access to rescue, as well as poisonous insects and plants. Bear Awareness teaches workers to safely interact with wildlife and manage the risks unique to the remote working environment.

Topics Include:

With an emphasis on co-existing safely with wildlife, Bear Awareness educates participants on the regulations concerning regional wildlife and the risks of living and working in the wilderness. Demonstrating how preparedness is the best way to handle wildlife, this course outlines proper food and garbage storage to disincentivize wildlife encounters. Participants learn how to differentiate between types of bears and pick up on specific bear behaviors (discerning a defensive attack from a non-defensive attack, knowing when to play dead vs. when to make loud noises). Participants also learn emergency response procedures following a bear attack. This course also discusses other carnivores and large herbivores (moose, wolves, and cougars) as well as dangerous plants, insects and other wilderness risks including dehydration, hypothermia and heatstroke.