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human mother who weighs only 15 to 20 times as much as her infant. All the same, a mother bear may occasionally look like a fat, hairy parody of the human mother, for a sow bear some- times nurses a cub or two while lying on her back or sitting on her haunches with her back against a tree and the young on her lap. And at various times she is likely to behave toward her toddlers as lovingly—or as irri- tably—as a human mother. In a bear’s antics, we see ourselves transformed, like victims of a witch’s spell in a fairy tale, and the anthropomorphic impres- sion amuses us. This, perhaps, is why we also find amusement in the performing bears at cir- cuses, ponderously dancing, riding a tricycle, balancing on a slack rope or a ball, or hugging and “kissing” the trainer. Lovable and amusing though bears may be, they are unpredict- able and very dangerous—every living bear beyond the age of a year or so. There are renowned animal trainers who play roughly, confi- dently, and fearlessly with enor- mous, exceedingly powerful bears they have raised lovingly from infancy. An adult bear of almost any species can crush a trainer’s

This big male American black bear, advancing with its mouth open, may appear to be threatening but—at this point—is merely Investigating. Its head would probably be lowered if it intended to charge. An old Native American saying advises that “a bear with his head down is an unhappy bear.” Wisdom, however, demands keeping one’s distance from any wild bear.

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