looking for human prey at all. Creatures such as these are occasionally
associated with killing humans, but these deaths are usually the result of
circumstance rather than premeditation. Here’s a list of what I consider
the most common accidental predators:
wolves, coyotes, and other similar canine creatures
mountain lions, cougars, jaguars, pumas, panthers, and other similar small cats
black bears, grizzly bears, Kodiak bears, brown bears, and other similar bears
sharks (other than great white sharks)Have a healthy respect for animals in the wild, but don’t let that evolve
into an irrational fear of them. Once your respect becomes fear, you lose your
ability to act rationally in a confrontation, and you may freeze, to your peril.
Say, for example, that you have no fresh water, the localized weather
conditions are poor, and you have little fuel for fire. You know from your
map that there’s a better spot a few miles away, but you’re too afraid to
move because you believe you may encounter a bear along the way. Your
fear of the bear is actually hindering your ability to survive.
Generally, accidental predators want nothing to do with humans.
Problems occur when we present ourselves to them in a compromis
ing position, whether it’s getting between them and their food, getting
between a mother and her young, or simply getting too close and startling
them. They are bigger and stronger than us, and when they react out of
fear, the outcome usually is not in our favor.
Now, there have been instances where rogue animals have killed
humans in a seemingly predatory fashion. Though exceedingly rare, rogue
animals are dangerous, because they are unpredictable and don’t act the
way the rest of their species does.
Habituated animals (bears, in particular) can also prove dangerous
because they have become accustomed to humans and do not necessarily
see us as a threat. Habituated animals are those that have learned to equate
people with food, because people do things like leave garbage lying outside
the house, or feed the animals in the backyard or park to get a nice photo.
In Wyoming’s Yellowstone National Park, there was a time when
mothers were seen spreading peanut butter on their children’s faces so
that a severalhundredpound black bear would lick it off, all for a picture!
(^254) | Survive!