USGS
CAUTIONS PROPER USE OF PEPPER SPRAY TO AVOID BEAR
ATTACKS
Red
pepper spray, commonly used by people in bear
country to ward off aggressive bear attacks, may
actually attract brown bears if used improperly,
according to preliminary research by a wildlife
ecologist at the USGS Alaska Science Center in
Anchorage.
In
research recently submitted for publication in
the Wildlife Society Bulletin, USGS researcher
Tom Smith emphasized that although the spray is
a proven deterrent in some encounters with aggressive
bears, red pepper spray is not a bear repellent
when applied to objects such as tents, food containers,
clothing or other personal belongings, "nor
is it claimed to be by most manufacturers."
In fact, noted Smith, no pepper spray manufacturers
normally suggest that the spray should be used
preventively. Although it is not presently known
exactly what the attracting agent in the red pepper
spray is, the irritant oleoresin capsicum is the
only ingredient common to all the sprays tested.
Smith
said that although research has shown that red
pepper spray is highly effective as a deterrent
in aggressive grizzly and brown bear encounters
when sprayed directly in a bear's eyes or nose,
his pilot study shows that spray residues did
attract brown bears when used in nonaggressive
situations. Brown bear responses to red pepper
spray-treated sites in his study ranged from mere
sniffing to whole body rolling in the residues,
an uncommon bear behavior.
The
spray is often carried as a bear protection method
by hikers, campers, biologists, rangers, hunters,
and other outdoor enthusiasts. The carrying of
red pepper spray has been encouraged in some national
parks where bears are common and firearms are
prohibited. Some state wildlife and game agencies
have also been encouraging the carrying of the
spray in bear habitats.
Smith's
investigations have found that "instances
of people inappropriately applying red pepper
spray to objects in order to repel bears are not
uncommon." His research suggests that red
pepper spray used in this manner may actually
"promote" attraction to spray-treated
sites or objects by brown bears.
"If
my study observations hold true elsewhere, then
red pepper spray residues on the spray canisters,
field gear, or on foliage near camps or other
human high-use areas may provide sites of interest
to brown bears and consequently risk human safety,"
Smith warned. In back country areas where hikers
and researchers may use the same location for
extended times, continuing indiscriminate use
of the spray could cumulatively create a potentially
harmful situation for the next person who uses
the campsite, Smith said. "We are concerned
that if red pepper spray is used in this inappropriate
manner, it may attract bears, result in property
damage, or a confrontation."
The
impetus for Smith's study came after he observed
a brown bear rolling vigorously in beach gravel
that had been inadvertently sprayed with red pepper
spray five days previously. A surprised Smith
watched bears on their backs, paws skyward, vigorously
rubbing their heads and back in the red pepper-sprayed
gravel. Before this observation, Smith had never
seen brown bears behave in such an unusual manner.
Smith
noted that red pepper spray is a stable, weather-resistant
compound that apparently does not lose its attractant,
or irritant, properties quickly. This suggests
"that even a single discharge has the potential
to attract brown bears for a significant amount
of time," he said.
Smith's
preliminary study involved spraying red pepper
on gravels along the Kulik River in Katmai National
Park and then observing brown bear responses to
red pepper residues from a blind. He recorded
both normal and abnormal bear behavior at or near
these study sites. In his pilot study, Smith said
that brown bears approached the treated sites
40 times, with the spray eliciting interest more
than 50 percent of the time and no response 40
percent of the time. However, Smith noted that
in all instances where bears showed no response
to the treated soils, strong winds were observed
that may have "whisked the scent directly
away from the bears, calling into question whether
they could have scented the spray at all."
Other
unusual brown bear behavior Smith recorded on
the sprayed sites included numerous instances
of sniffing, pawing, licking, rubbing their heads
in the soil, and rolling on the sites in a manner
similar to cats rolling in catnip. Before this
study, Smith had spent more than 750 hours observing
brown bears at Kulik River. "During that
time," he said, "I had never seen bears
rubbing their heads on the ground, pawing and
licking soils, or rolling on their backs."
These
novel behaviors, said Smith, arise directly from
exposure to red pepper spray-treated soils, and
"hence my concern about indiscriminate or
improper use of these sprays in bear country."
"In
no cases," said Smith, "were bears seen
to be deterred from, or actively avoiding, red
pepper spray-treated sites. These observations,"
he added, "raise serious concerns regarding
the appropriate use of red pepper spray and identify
a need to educate users as to potentially harmful
side effects of their indiscriminate use as a
repellent agent."
Scent,
of course, is what bears rely on most to locate
food in their environment, which is why campers
and other backwoods users are encouraged to carefully
rid their tents and sleeping areas of articles
that might smell, including toothpaste, food and
soap. Unfortunately, said Smith, red pepper spray,
besides being an effective deterrent when sprayed
in a bear's face, is also essentially "scent
in a can" that bears may be attracted to.
Smith
urged that until further research is conducted,
people who carry red pepper spray in bear country
should not test-fire newly purchased red pepper
spray near camps or other human high-use areas.
As an additional precaution, Smith advises that
once fired, the canisters should not be kept in
or near the tents of sleeping persons because
of the possibility that red pepper spray residues
on canister nozzles may attract bears.
Smith's
work has been reviewed by other bear biologists
in the U.S. Department of the Interior and submitted
for publication in the Wildlife Society Bulletin.
In addition, his observations have been anecdotally
supported by other researchers in bear habitat.
Smith said USGS will conduct more research on
red pepper spray and bears this year. Smith's
future research will focus on discovering just
how attractive red pepper spray is to bears, the
distance at which a bear can scent the red pepper
spray, and if a bear might be attracted to a canister
that has been fired and which has some spray residue
on its exterior. Smith's preliminary work showed
that bears were picking the scent up from more
than 75 meters away.
As
the nation's largest water, earth and biological
science and civilian mapping agency, the USGS
works in cooperation with more than 2000 organizations
across the country to provide reliable, impartial,
scientific information to resource managers, planners,
and other customers. This information is gathered
in every state by USGS scientists to minimize
the loss of life and property from natural disasters,
contribute to the sound conservation, economic
and physical development of the nation's natural
resources, and enhance the quality of life by
monitoring water, biological, energy, and mineral
resources.
####USGS####
NOTE
TO EDITORS: Still photographs showing brown bears
attracted to study sites sprayed with red pepper
spray can be obtained at the USGS Biological Resources
Division website at
http://biology.usgs.gov/pr/newsrelease/1998/2-9.html
NOTE
TO TV PRODUCERS: A 5-second video clip can be
obtained from the USGS website at http://biology.usgs.gov/pr/newsrelease/1998/2-9.html
Additional VHS footage can be obtained by calling
Tom Smith (907) 786-3456.
NOTE
TO EDITORS AND TV PRODUCERS: To obtain information
on research accepted for publication on the effectiveness
of red pepper spray as a bear deterrent in aggressive
bear-human interactions fax Dr. S. Herrero in
Calgary, Alberta, Canada, at 403-284-4399. S.
Herrero and A. Higgins. 1998. Field use of capsicum
spray as a bear deterrent. International Conference
on Bear Research and Management. In press.