Russian Bear Expert Is Killed in the Wild -

Los Angeles Times ^ | December 31, 2003 | Kim Murphy

[UnklGene]

Russian Bear Expert Is Killed in the Wild -

Well-known researcher was apparently mauled by one of the giant animals he loved.

By Kim Murphy, Times Staff Writer

MOSCOW — Vitaly Nikolayenko, one of Russia's best-known bear researchers and a man who spent 25 years living with the enormous brown bears of the wild Kamchatka Peninsula, has been found dead in an apparent bear mauling, authorities said Tuesday.

The body of Nikolayenko, whose lonely journeys allowed him to compile one of the most exhaustive documentaries on the 9-foot-tall cousins of the North American grizzly, was found at a lake near his remote, one-room hut on the Tikhaya River. The 6 1/2-inch paw print of a medium-sized male was found next to it, along with an empty can of pepper spray with which Nikolayenko had apparently tried to defend himself. -snip-

[UnklGene]

Late entry for 2003 Darwin Award. or Wild bears are our friends...

[verity]

along with an empty can of pepper spray with which Nikolayenko had apparently tried to defend himself.

Why would he use an empty can as a weapon? :~(

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Late entry for 2003 Darwin Award. or Wild bears are our friends...

Just because you die doing something you love doesn't make it Darwinian.

[skip2myloo]

The Colorado State Department of Fish and Wildlife is advising hikers, hunters, fishermen, and golfers to take extra precautions and be on the alert for bears while in the Dillon, Breckenridge, and Keystone areas.

They advise people to wear noise-producing devices such as little bells on their clothing to alert but not startle the bears unexpectedly.

They also advise you to carry pepper spray in case of an encounter with a bear. It is also a good idea to watch for signs of bear activity.

People should be able to recognize the difference between black bear and grizzly bear droppings.

Black bear droppings are smaller and contain berries and possibly squirrel fur.

Grizzly bear droppings have bells in them and smell like pepper spray.

[John Beresford Tipton]

Some days you eat the bear,
other days the bear eats you.

[Blood of Tyrants]

Apparently he wasn't enough of an "expert" to realize that a wild bear just might attack and kill you.

[WorkingClassFilth]

A couple of questions:

1. Did this man sing or dance for his bear friends, too, like our so recently departed grizzly bear experts?

2. How do they know that the bears didn't use the pepper spray to simply to add 'zest' to their fresh meat course?

[Xenalyte]

Same reason the bad guy lobs his empty revolver at Superman, I guess.

[Blood of Tyrants]

A large swath of orange pepper spray indicates that Nikolayenko tried to defend himself, and an unfired flare gun was lying next to the body, half of which had been consumed.

Note to those searching for other parts of the corpse: Look for bear poop that smells like pepper.

[January24th]

It's uncanny, I tell you! It's like they're oganized!

:O)

[11th Earl of Mar]

The 6 1/2-inch paw print of a medium-sized male was found next to it, along with an empty can of pepper spray with which Nikolayenko had apparently tried to defend himself. -snip-

SNIP?

I could see "ROAR," "SWIPE," "CHOMP," and "RIP."

But "snip"?

[11th Earl of Mar]

New TV show:

When Vegetarians Attack!

[TexasRepublic]

I once heard that an "Expert" is someone from out of town.

[Sir Charles]

Lest we forget, a man died here.

[RightWhale]

We all go sometime. Is it better to be accepting the challenge and making the attempt on the mountain, or to choke on a pretzel while watching reality TV?

[Thinkin' Gal]

a man who spent 25 years living with the enormous brown bears of the wild Kamchatka Peninsula, has been found dead in an apparent bear mauling

He apparently didn't want to share.

[skip2myloo]

Well, if he's been living with this bear for 25 years, there is a distinct possibility of domestic abuse. Was there a restraining order ??

Did anybody ask the bear for her side of the story ??

[redhead]

Welp, that's 3 for the bears, zip for the "experts."

[tet68]

Let this be a lesson to you children, never go to the mall
alone.

How can you tell if you're in bear country?
The droppings smell like pepper.