Animals feel threatened when they are startled. Make louder noises while moving and converse loudly to alert them to your presence. They are bound to get out of your way long before you approach them. This way, you will safely rule out unwanted encounters with wild beasts. Avoid staying in the woods late in the evening, at night or early in the morning, when the animals are most active, which is especially true for the mating season in the months of May and June. Follow the marked trails and paths through the forest. If you spot an animal, don’t try to approach it. This particularly applies if you encounter them on their feeding grounds. Meeting a female leading young can be especially dangerous. If you see such a family in time, try to walk away imperceptibly the way you came. Never approach young animals, and do not try to catch them by any means. The female will surely attack if she feels that her young are in danger. Young orphan bears who lost their mothers early can be dangerous. These bears are not afraid of humans and are therefore potentially dangerous.

Do not take your dog to a bear habitat. While running away from a bear, your pet will lead the bear straight to you. If you encounter a bear up close, try to keep calm and cool and don’t run away. If a bear is leaning on its hind legs, this does not mean it is preparing to attack - it just wants to get a better look at you because its vision is less developed. Avoid any actions that could make the bear feel threatened (throwing stones, yelling…) as there is a high probability that it will attack you. Give the bear room to retreat. If it’s impossible to avoid a bear attack, do not tackle the bear by any means. Throw yourself on the ground on your stomach and protect your head with your arms crossed. And once again, remember: Animals feel threatened when they are startled. Make louder noises while moving and converse loudly to alert them to your presence. They are bound to get out of your way long before you approach them. This way, you will safely rule out unwanted encounters with wild beasts.