What would you do if you saw a rattlesnake on the trail near you?
This wildlife safety quiz will reveal how much you actually know about being safe around wildlife in the Rocky Mountains. What should you do if you get attacked or see an animal?
The Rocky Mountains are awesome! I love to spend a day or several days hiking in these mountains or fishing in a lake. Part of what makes the Rockies so special is the wildlife that you may come across while out exploring. I’ve come across a lot of animals, but not all of them yet. It’s crucial that you know what to do and how to respond if you see an animal or if one attacks you. Here is a little quiz to test your wildlife knowledge.
Wildlife Safety Quiz (Answers At The End)
1. What Should You Do If You See A Rattlesnake?
a. Freak out, jump and run away from it.
b. Casually walk right by it.
c. Remain calm and slowly back away from it.
It’s super cool to see a mountain lion.
2. What Should You Do If You See A Mountain Lion?
a. Hold still, don’t make eye contact, and then slowly back away.
b. Run like hell away from it!
c. Make yourself big and look it directly in the eye.
3. What Should You Do If A Mountain Lion Attacks?
a. Fight back with anything and everything that you have.
b. Play dead and hope that it leaves you alone.
c. Play dead, then if it doesn’t leave you alone fight back.
A black bear is super exciting to see in the wild.
4. What Should You Do If You See A Bear?
a. Hold still, don’t make eye contact, and stand your ground.
b. Run as fast as you can away from it. Climb a tree if you can.
c. Make yourself look big and look it directly in the eye.
5. What Should You Do If A Bear Attacks?
a. Fight back with anything and everything you have.
b. Play dead and hope that it leaves you alone.
c. It depends on what kind of bear is attacking you.
What would you do if you saw a moose?
6. What Should You Do If A Moose Charges Or Attacks You?
a. Fight back with everything you can.
b. Play dead, curl up into a ball, and protect your neck and head. Stay still until it leaves.
c. Quickly run away and try to get something between you and the moose, such as a tree or boulder.
d. Both b and c.
Answers
1 – c
If you can keep your cool, you should remain calm and slowly back away from the snake. Western Rattlesnakes are not aggressive.
2 – c
If you see a mountain lion you should make eye contact with it and make your self big. You want to make sure the mountain lion knows you are not prey. Don’t look away, run away, or appear small. Make eye contact to let it know you are not afraid of it.
3 – a
For a mountain lion attack you want to fight it off. Protect your neck and fight back with your hands, feet, stick, rocks, anything you can
4 – a
If you come across a bear then you want to stand still and hold your ground. Wait for it to lose interest in you and go on its way. Don’t look it in the eye because you don’t want it to think you’re threatening it. Don’t try to run away or climb a tree as the bear is faster and a better climber than you. Your running may trigger a response by the bear to chase you.
5 – c
If a bear attacks you then you need to know what kind of bear it is to know how to respond. If it’s a black bear you should fight back with anything you have. If it’s a grizzly bear, play dead once it makes contact with you. Cover your neck and play dead. Hopefully, the bear will see you’re not a threat and leave you alone.
6 – d
If a moose charges, you should run away and get something between you and it. The moose just wants to scare you off. However, if a moose attacks, you should curl up into a ball, protect your neck and head and wait until it leaves.
Easily Learn These Basic Wildlife Safety Tips And More With Jake’s Nature Guide: Rocky Mountains
This pocket size book will help you know what to do around common Rocky Mountain animals. Additionally, it is full of color photos and descriptions to help you identify the common species of the Rockies (mammals, birds, reptiles, flowers, trees, and more!)