'Unwelcome Mat' Sends Black Bear Running

Name: 'Unwelcome Mat' Sends Black Bear Running
Uploaded: 2018-10-05T04:42:23.000Z
Description: A curious bear received an unexpected shock when it placed its snout on an electric “unwelcome mat” meant to keep away intruders.

NTD Newsroom

Published: 10/5/2018, 12:42:23 AM EDT

A curious bear received an unexpected shock when it placed its snout on an electric “unwelcome mat” meant to keep away intruders.

The bear encountered the electrified structure in Gunnison, Colorado, as seen in this footage shared by the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Southwest Region.

According to the tweet containing the video, these mats are a recommended method of bear-proofing one’s house to prevent the furry intruders from poking around private property. The shock that the mats administer are meant to be a short, non-lethal deterrent.

Colorado Parks & Wildlife says that those who are interested in installing such devices should first check their local regulations to see if the electric mats are permitted. They should also post signs so human aren’t accidentally shocked.

Colorado Parks & Wildlife also gives instructions on how to gear the mats specifically for deterring black bears, but the agency warns that mats made to grizzly bear specifications could seriously injure black bears, due to their smaller paw size.

The agency writes that if a human or pet came into contact with the mat, the shock will be uncomfortable but not debilitating. Animals that land on the mat while not touching the ground, like a bird or cat, would not feel any shock.

As bears have good memories, they are likely to return to properties where they have managed to food in the past. So another good way to deter bears is to keep food safely stored and away from prying paws, Colorado Parks & Wildlife said.

Colorado now has only black bears, although at one point the state had grizzly bears. There are about 10,000 to 12,000 black bears in the entire state. The color of black bears varies, their fur can range from black to blonde, cinnamon, or brown. Their primary diet consists of grasses, berries, fruit, nuts, and plants, according to Colorado Country Life.

Black bears live 20-25 years and are Colorado’s largest extant carnivore. They mostly live in the western two-thirds of the state, according to Colorado Country Life.

America's Most Common Bear

American black bears are found in 32 states in the United States, as well as in northern Mexico and almost all of Canada, except Prince Edward Island, according to the International Association for Bear Research and Management.

According to the North American Bear Center, black bears are relatively safe. Sixty-one people have been killed by black bears in North America since 1900. Grizzly bears are 20 times more dangerous.

A black bear’s first instinct is to run and climb a tree when it feels startled, while a grizzly may charge or even attack. Most attacks by black bears occur out of defensive, when a person gets too close, according to the Bear Center.

The National Park Service says it is recommended, if attacked by a grizzly bear, to play dead and lay flat on your stomach. If the bear tries to turn you over, try to prevent it from doing so. If the bear persists and doesn’t eventually leave the area, fight back as hard as you can.

In the case of black bear, do not play dead, but try to escape. If you can’t get away, fight. Concentrate on striking the bear’s face and muzzle, the Park Service suggests. If a black or grizzly bear appears to be stalking you as food, then fight. Special bear pepper spray is also an option.

There are total three species of bear in North America—black bears, polar bears, and grizzly bears. The polar bear has more of its natural habitat still remaining than any other large carnivore, due to a lack of development in polar bears’ arctic habitat, according to the Get Bear Smart Society.