If you were a kid growing up in the “late 1900s,” as the Gen Z’ers say, you might remember this scene from the 1960s cult classic Batman: The Movie. A helicopter hovers over a swath of rough sea. The camera pans down a ladder that’s hanging from the chopper. Clinging to the bottom of the ladder, up to his bat boots in saltwater and holding a walkie-talkie, stands the Caped Crusader.
He radioes to “take ‘er up,” and the scene cuts to the chopper pilot, Robin. The Boy Wonder starts raising the ladder. Just then, we see that Batman isn’t on the ladder alone. A huge shark has glommed onto his leg.
“Holy Sardines!” exclaims the Boy Wonder as Batman starts pounding the Great White with his gloved fist, as one does when a killer shark is attached to one’s leg. When he realizes the deadly predator of isn’t about to let go, Batman throws another desperate right hook and radioes, “Hand me down the Shark Repellent Bat Spray.”
The scene cuts to an entire selection of Bat Sprays: barracuda, whale, manta-ray, shark. Robin grabs the shark spray, flips off the lid, climbs down the ladder and passes the can to Batman, who, with one deft spritz, drops the killer shark down into the sea below.
This, this is the scene I think of the most — even more than Leonardo DiCaprio getting mauled by a grizzly in The Revenant — as I consider an epic gravel ride I’m supposed to do with friends this summer. The Last Best Ride takes place in Montana bear country. The packing list has a single mandatory item: bear spray.
To be fair, you have to consider the odds of being attacked by a bear. According to a study published on Nature.com, there are about 40 attacks per year worldwide, with 11 happening in North America. According to the National Park Service, visitors have a one-in-2.7-million-visits chance of being attacked by a bear. The odds stack even higher in your favor in the backcountry, say, on a gravel ride: one in 232,613 individual travel days.
In fact, you have a much greater chance of being killed by a toaster than you do a bear.
That said, bear attacks on humans in the U.S. do appear to be on the rise. But you can hardly blame them as we continue to encroach on their habitats. According to one expert, grizzly bears currently occupy “less than 3% of their historical range.”
To add insult to injury statistics, we often have no one to blame but ourselves. It’s been reported that humans bring about some 70% of attacks. The National Park Service says our mere presence in bear territory can cause them to feel threatened, especially if there’s a food source or young cubs involved. Yes, bears can be aggressive, but it is very rare indeed for them to proactively hunt down humans.
Still, bears, like avalanches, happen. Even here in Utah, where the primary species is black bears, not grizzlies. It’s best to be prepared in the highly unlikely event that you do encounter one.
Take it from Park City wildlife photographer Lindsey Wennerth. Lindsey has traveled all over, documenting literally lions and tigers and bears for the past 10 years via her Instagram account @lindseywennerth. She’s even photographed the legendary “Grizzly 399,” Wyoming’s most famous bear. The 27-year-old matriarch recently emerged from her winter den accompanied by a cub.
“Funny thing is, I used to be terrified of grizzlies when backpacking in bear country,” Lindsey says. “And now I’m actively seeking them out.” Educating herself was the key for Lindsey to become more comfortable in bear terrain. Over the years, she’s learned there are a few reasons why a bear will attack, and the most easily avoidable one is not looking like a threat.
The last thing you want to do is “come around a corner and startle them,” Lindsey says. For that reason, she advises traveling in groups, being a loud talker and wearing a bell.
Keep your camp clean and free of food. Bears are, as one expert put it, “a nose with a large body attached.” Cook and store food away from your campsite.
Give them space. Lindsey says “My rule of thumb is to keep 100 yards away from a bear and watch for any behaviors that could indicate stress or irritation.”
Lindsey said her closest encounter was with a black bear. “I was in some dense trees and a mama black bear bluffed — ran towards me and stopped. She had cubs in a nearby tree and I wasn’t paying close enough attention.” In a situation like that, Lindsey advises to stay calm, back up slowly while facing them and then walk the other way.
And about that bear spray. If you’re traveling in bear country, you should have it —a nd know how to use it. Keep it easily accessible; not buried in a pack. “I carry mine in a belt so it’s on my hip,” Lindsey said. A friend in Montana stashes a can in her bottle cage when she’s out mountain biking. No big whoop.
For savvy nature observers like Lindsey, a wild animal encounter can be a magical experience. “I love any moment getting to experience them in their natural habitat — and showing them the respect they deserve.”
Respect and understanding are far more effective tools than fear and panic — or even shark repellent. But I may pack some. Just in case.