Grizzly attack - don't try to climb a tree....

[661-Pete]

I often wonder why, when according to zoologists, wild bears (and that means all species of bear) are the most dangerous to humans of all large predators - it's safer to approach a big cat or a pack of wolves than a bear, it seems - why then has the bear become such a cuddly childhood icon of companionship? Cue Winnie-the-Pooh; cue Paddington; cue Rupert... Oh yes - the teddy bear. Mr Roosevelt, you have a lot to answer for - you should have shot that wretched cub when you had the chance!

 

[Yellow Fang]

Panda bears can't be that dangerous, surely?

 

[theclaud]

Unless you've got a bamboo bike...

 

[661-Pete]

I think the Giant Panda used to be a kind of raccoon. Don't ask!

 

[Yellow Fang]

Well, racoons aren't dangerous neither.

 

[661-Pete]

Let me bore the pants off you all with some stats. All culled from Wiki, with a bit of counting.

Human fatalities in North America since 1970 due to:

Bear .................................. 83
Shark (not all confirmed) ... 43
Alligator ............................. 23
Cougar .............................. 16
Snakebite (USA only): ......... 6
Wolf .................................... 6

Hmmmm