Bears get a bad reputation, but a new study shows that they might not be the species most often involved in human-wildlife interaction that can lead to conflicts in national parks. Researchers examined which large mammals were most often involved in aggressive encounters between people and animals, during what type of activities run-ins were most likely to happen, and what combinations proved especially risky. Elk were most frequently involved in incidents, and most run-ins happened during low-impact activities – hikes and wildlife observation. Some animal-activity pairs emerged as particularly high-risk, such as running into mule deer while walking the dog. The team also highlighted simple but effective steps visitors can take to minimize their risk of aggressive encounters. 

Whitebait – which go to sea as juveniles in autumn and migrate back into rivers during spring, where they are caught as whitebait – undergo dramatic biological shifts when their paths to the sea become blocked.