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Preventing Human Habituation
To prevent bears from becoming human-habituated, it is important not to let them feel comfortable in or around human-use areas. For instance, a black bear with no previous contact with people will be wary of a camp that was recently constructed within its home range and will keep its distance. However, as time goes on, the bear may become accustomed to the strange noises and activities of the camp. It may gradually approach closer as it carries out its daily routine of searching for food. This is the beginning of the bear becoming human-habituated.

If the bear has no negative experiences to associate with the camp, it starts to learn that the camp poses no threat to it. Eventually, the bear may become habituated to the point where it no longer flees when a vehicle drives by or it comes in contact with humans.

When the bear feels comfortable in or around a human-use area, its continual search for food may bring it inside the camp, where it can find garbage or other human food sources. The bear is now human-food conditioned as it associates the human-use area with food. If the bear has no negative experiences to associate with its behaviour, it will repeat the behaviour. A bear or any carnivore that acts on this learned behaviour can be a significant threat to human safety and property.
  1. To avoid causing habituation, people should:

    • Set boundaries for bears, e.g., 400 metres from camp.
    • Not let a bear encroach within the set boundary.
    • Use negative experiences or devices to chase the bear away, such as bear bangers or a foghorn.
    • Ensure the bear cannot access human food sources;
    • obtaining food is a positive experience.
    • Not feed any wildlife.
    • Do not let the bear feel comfortable around a human- use area or people, even if there is no immediate perceived threat.
    • Not remain in proximity to a bear to watch or photograph it; doing so increases the opportunity for the bear to become habituated to humans.