Bear Attack - Natural Weapons: Human Versus Bear - Other Senses and Characteristics

Other Senses and Characteristics

Bears' senses are likely similar to those of dogs, animals which at times have much the same build and dietary habits of bears.

Bears' sense of smell is dependent on a Jacobson's organ, or vomeronasal organ, which allows the bear to easily detect airborne scents. Bears use this sense of smell not only to hunt, but to detect other bears as well; male bears use smell to stay away from other male bears and to find female bears during mating season. Bears have the ability to climb faster than they can run when in pursuit. While humans have a sense of olfaction, or smell, they do not use it for communication or for hunting; its usual range is around 10 square centimeters as compared to a polar bear that can smell a seal from twenty miles away.

Little is known about a bear's hearing, but scientists concluded that it is at least as good as a human's. Some scientists believe that bears may even be able to detect ultrasonic sounds as well.

Natural observers believe that most bear species are near-sighted, which allows bears to forage for small objects such as berries. However, bears are also capable of discerning faraway movements which helps them hunt prey. The Kodiak bear, when compared to other species, appears to have vision comparable to a human (not near-sighted). Experiments show that black bears can see color, unlike many mammals. With scientists still working to determine exactly how perceptive bear eyes are, it is difficult to compare bear eyesight with human eyesight.