Bear-Proof Can Is Pop-Top Picnic for a Crafty Thief
NORTH ELBA, N.Y. — It was built to be impenetrable, from its “super rugged transparent polycarbonate housing” to its intricate double-tabbed lid that would keep campers’ food in and bears’ paws out.
The BearVault 500 withstood the ravages of the test bears at the Folsom City Zoo in California. It has stymied mighty grizzlies weighing up to 1,000 pounds in the backcountry of Yellowstone National Park.
But in one corner of the Adirondacks, campers started to notice that the BearVault, a popular canister designed to keep food and other necessities safe, was being compromised. First through circumstantial evidence, then from witness reports, it became clear that in most cases, the conqueror was a relatively tiny, extremely shy middle-aged black bear named Yellow-Yellow.
Some canisters fail in the testing stage when large bears are able to rip off the lid. But wildlife officials say that Yellow-Yellow, a 125-pound bear named for two yellow ear tags that help wildlife officials keep tabs on her, has managed to systematically decipher a complex locking system that confounds even some campers.
In the process, she has emerged as a near-mythical creature in the High Peaks region of the northeastern Adirondacks.
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Cynapse Says:
Bears are actually quite bright. You won’t fool them with a simple locking mechanism the way you can with, say, a raccoon. Bears even learn not to take food from people dressed a certain way.
Posted on July 25th, 2009 at 8:01 am
Jack Says:
“Bears even learn not to take food from people dressed a certain way.”
????
Posted on July 25th, 2009 at 5:46 pm
Cynapse Says:
In an attempt to deter bear attacks on campsites, park rangers in some U.S. parks started bringing in picnic baskets filled with very spicy food, which apparently bears do not like. The bears took the food for awhile but stopped taking the boobie-trapped baskets. However, camper complaints about bears did not cease. The rangers eventually figured out that the bears simply stated avoiding picnic baskets left by anyone dressed like a park ranger. Their response was to dress up in street clothes before planting the baskets.
Posted on July 25th, 2009 at 9:25 pm
cantuc Says:
Maybe ol yellow-yellow is just a bit smarter than the average bear . My sister had one hanging around in her yard for a while that took an intense dis-like to her sky-cable receiver . Maybe he got pissed off watching question period ?
Posted on July 25th, 2009 at 9:44 pm
Bruce Says:
Perhaps it is just me, but isn’t this reminescent of Boo-Boo asking Yogi for a “pic-a-nic” basket?
*Prepares to re-board the geezer bus once again*
Posted on July 26th, 2009 at 2:53 am
Mac Says:
I’m right there with you, Bruce. Next stop- Jellystone National Park…
Posted on July 26th, 2009 at 11:07 am
LG Says:
Amazing how confounding to a bear can be a bit of climbing rope, a carabiner and a stuff sack. And a lot cheaper too.
Posted on July 26th, 2009 at 11:57 am
AbbyWooten34 Says:
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Posted on March 31st, 2010 at 8:46 am
beentheredonethat Says:
Re: #3. Well duh. The solution is right there before our eyes. Force everyone using these parks dress up like park rangers. Problem solved. LOL
Posted on March 31st, 2010 at 8:58 am