Made some polar bear deterrents today. Polar bears can get into cabins by standing on their hind legs and pushing windows (or doors) with their forepaws. #cabinLife #Nunavut
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@NunavutBirder I’ll take my chances with falling iguanas, tyvm.
@NunavutBirder
Now let's hope that polar bears don't learn how to shove a plywood panel sideways 😮
@NunavutBirder Wouldn't the cuddly death machine just paw that to the side?
@NunavutBirder So you must have these homemade deterrents at each point of entry?
@NunavutBirder You should try Lego pieces.
As a parent who has had the Lego caltrops experience, I can visualize it.
As a Canadian who once spent some time in the bush, the thought of stray bits of plastic being ingested by animals is far more chilling than well-anchored metal spiked deterrents.
@Gustodon A truly inspired idea.
@NunavutBirder Stupid question: does it work because the bears visually see it and don't want to mess with it or does it work because the bears actually step on it and are then deterred? Or both?
@secbox I believe because they step on it. But they might recognize that it isn’t a place to step.
@NunavutBirder odd how a reply asks you to be kind, but an original post on Mastodon doesn't, this post is one which would benefit from the request to be kind, but I don't expect you to understand, as you already laid out spikes for animals (And that could include a human depending on where you are.) to bleed into.
@Brian You’d rather a bear shot breaking into our cabin? This is a deterrent and would cause no permanent damage. Bears aren’t stupid and recognize that it’s a mistake to step there.
@NunavutBirder Note I didn't mention just bears stepping into it. I highly doubt only bears exist in your area. Plus other deterrents exist that don't include risking a bear stepping on spikes.
@NunavutBirder Counting 26 boosts and 48 likes for the thought of wild animals standing on a pad of nails. Empathy is, indeed, dead.
@Tattered You would rather a bear shot getting into the cabin? It’s a deterrent.
@NunavutBirder I learned as a child that traps don’t care who or what they catch. Upright nails potentially injure anyone or anything, especially if covered by snow.
As for living in a region with large predatory mammals, I have never chosen to do so. Nothing bigger than a fox or badger in Britain, the bears here in Japan are a bit further north, the tigers in China further South than the place I lived.
I understand your point about a deterrent, though a bear injuring itself on nails may suffer from infection and die, like an animal shot but not killed. An injured pad is walked on and is unlikely to remain sterile.
I don’t really know what the solution to your problem is. I don’t believe there is a way for humans to share territory with other apex predators. I have always lived in places where people have already killed their competitors. I just wish we’d stop doing it now we know there aren’t many of them left.
@Tattered My family’s ancestors (not mine) have lived here for five thousand years and are as much a part of the ecosystem as the bears.
The threat to bears isn’t the people here, it’s those who continue to pump carbon into the atmosphere and are melting my home. Those who would rather we get our food flown up at great cost to the environment and to us so their conscience for not living lightly on the land can be assuaged
@NunavutBirder You will get no argument from me on that point.
Is there no better way to deter bears, pressure pads and noise makers, security lighting linked to a bird scarer, …?
We wear tinkly little bells on our rucksacks to keep the black bears away here, but they’re totally different animals. There has to be something white bears don’t like, other than physical injury.
My apologies for disturbing you. I wouldn’t have done so if your photo had not disturbed me. Thank you for responding.
@NunavutBirder ouch! It would certainly deter me 🙂
@NunavutBirder
Thank you for showing us- difficult to imagine. Here our biggest problem outside the house are mosquitoes, mice and maybe rats.
@NunavutBirder those rust-brown stains suggest you can already paint one polar bear silhouette beneath the window.
@NunavutBirder Well, that seems practical then.
@NunavutBirder
"Home Alone: Nunavut"
@NunavutBirder
At an early age I was taught to be cautious when in bear country in BC, but I am not sure I would sleep well knowing polar bears were roaming the area.
I wouldn't want to confront a black/brown bear but Polar bears are more intimidating.
@SnowyCA One was mouthing the door knob last fall. None near the cabin this year so far.
@NunavutBirder @SnowyCA I’m imagining now a Polar Bear with his tongue stuck to the door handle. 🫤
@NunavutBirder @SnowyCA
This was the first post in this thread I saw. “One was mouthing the door knob last fall.” Then had to read up and down.
I know door hardware and cannot imagine what hardware I would suggest to stop a polar bear. Did the bear rip the knob off or make it not work??
@NunavutBirder
"mouthing the doorknob"
I think I would have been frozen in terror.
I hope your polar bear deterrents are very effective.
I will be keeping you in my thoughts.
Stay safe.
And thank you for sharing you life with us. And your photos are wonderful.
@SnowyCA We weren’t there at the time. My in-laws were watching from their cabin.
@NunavutBirder
Thank goodness for small favours.
@SnowyCA @NunavutBirder have you seen the grolars? Cross between a polar and grizzly bear.
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