Bear Awareness (Virtual Reality)

Course Overview:

Bear Aware, also known as Wilderness Awareness, is an Entry-Level Core Training course useful for anyone who may be working in a remote area with a high risk of encountering wildlife. This course is also available at the "Become an Instructor" level. Supplementary courses depend entirely on the specific field of work. Irwin's virtual reality version of this course uses State-of-the-Art VR technology to simulate an environment where bears might be encountered, allowing the participants to react to the possible scenarios in real time.

Learning Objectives & Specific Outcomes:

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

Topics Include:

With an emphasis on co-existing safely with wildlife, Bear Awareness teaches learners about the regulations concerning regional wildlife and the risks of living and working in the wilderness. The course outlines proper food and garbage storage to deter wildlife encounters. Participants learn how to differentiate between types of bears and pick up on specific bear behaviours (discerning a defensive attack from a non-defensive attack, or when to play dead vs. when to make loud noises). Participants also learn emergency response procedures following a bear attack. Topics discussed include: other carnivores and large herbivores (including moose, wolves, and cougars), dangerous plants and insects, and other wilderness risks such as dehydration, hypothermia and a heatstroke.