Overview

This course covers general bear
facts including knowledge about their habitat and behaviour. By focusing on how humans contribute
to problem bears, the course stresses both prevention and outlines best
practices for increasing your chances of survival in the event of a bear
encounter or attack.  The course also discusses safety procedures for personnel working in the field, including
procedures for setting up and maintaining a safe camp.

This course is presented in 2 modules:

1.
The Bear Essentials

2.
Working in Bear Country 

Learning
Objectives

Upon completion of the course, participants will be able
to: 

·
Differentiate
between black bears and grizzlies

·
Identify
potential food sources for bears

·
Understand
the human role in creating bear problems

·
Understand
the concepts home range and personal space

·
Identify
bears’ body language and indicators of stress

·
Know
how to set up a camp area that will be as
safe as possible 

·
Understand
what bear deterrents are and when to use them

·
Comprehend
the DOs and DON’Ts for minimizing the risks of bear encounters 

·
Understand
the differences between a bear’s defensive and aggressive behavior

Course
Format

This is a self-paced online course. Participants
may leave and resume the course at any time. The duration will depend on the
participant and any prior knowledge of the subject-matter. Average course
completion time is about 2 – 3 hours.

Evaluation
and Certification

There
is a test at the end of each module. Participants who do not achieve 100% can
review the module content and re-try as necessary to complete the course. Test
questions are randomly selected from a test bank, making each test unique. A
printable certificate is available upon successful completion of the course.