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>> Puppet girl crying
>>Girl in purple dress(fairy godmother): Hello
>> Puppet girl crying: Who are you
>>Girl in purple dress(fairy godmother): I’m your fairy godmother… I’m here to help...
I just can’t bear to see you…
>>Puppet girl crying
>>Fair godmother: Oh dear, what’s the matter? Is it problems at school?
>>Puppet girl cries
>>Fairy godmother: Problems at home? Oh I know, it’s problems with boys isn’t it?
>>Puppet girl crying: No, no, no. My class has gone on a hiking field trip in the woods
tomorrow. Cries..
>>Fair godmother: And the problem is...?
>> Puppet girl: The problem is is that this is bear country. Almost all of Alaska is bear
country. Even big cities like Anchorage have black bear and brown bears living in them.
I just know all those bears are ready to get them. I won’t go, I won’t.
>>Fair godmother: Oh, calm down dear. It’s true that most of Alaska is bear country,
but it’s not true that they’re out there waiting to get you.
>> Puppet girl: Sniffs. They aren’t?
>>Fair godmother: Oh no! Lots of people think bears are blood thirsty killers who eat people.
Other people think bears are cute animals. But really, neither is true. Bears are just
wild animals trying to survive as best they can.
>> Puppet girl: Really?
>> Fair godmother: Yes, most of what bears do has to do with protecting their young their
food or their personal space. They’re actually quite predictable. The first thing to know
is that bears don’t like surprises.
>> Puppet girl: Really? I like surprises, this one time for my birthday my friends knew
I really like ponies and you wouldn’t believe what they did, they actually....
>> Fair godmother: Screams at puppet girl
>>Puppet girl screams: Hey, you scared me! I thought fair godmothers were supposed to
be nice.
>> Fairy godmother: Bears don’t like to be surprised either. If you’re walking along
a trail and meet a bear that couldn’t hear you coming you might scare it. Sometimes when
the bear is scared it might fight back to defend itself. That is when people can get
hurt.
>> Puppet girl: Ohhhh. So when I’m walking in the woods I should make noise so if there’re
any bears they can hear me coming.
>> Fairy godmother: That’s right! You can sing songs, clap your hands, wear bells or
talk to your friends. Most of the time if a bear hears people coming it will get out
of the way. For this reason it’s a good idea to buddy-up in bear country. Remember,
safety in numbers.
>>Puppet girl: Ok, so make noise and travel in groups. What else?
>> Fair godmother: Another thing to remember is to keep pets on a leash or leave them at
home. Barking dogs can really annoy bears and get them angry.
>> Puppet girl: But my Fluffy is such a nice dog.
>>Fairy godmother: Fluffy might be nice to you but how do you think a bear will feel
with Fluffy barking and growling at him.
>>Puppet girl: Sort of threatened.
>>fairy godmother: That’s right, and if that bears gets angry at Fluffy and chases
him he could lead the bear right back to you. Imagine the scene.
______________________________________________________ >>Fluffy barking
>> Puppet girl screaming ______________________________________________________
>>Fairy godmother: See!
>>Puppet girl: Yes, for now on Fluffy is staying on a leash!
>> Fair godmother: Good
>>Puppet girl: But fairy godmother what if I do all those things and I still meet a bear?
>>Fairy godmother: If you do meet a bear stay calm and don’t run. Instead stay where you
are and calmly talk to the bear. Raise your arms in the air and say “Hey, bear”. Try
it.
>>Puppet girl: Ok, Hey bear
>> FG: Good, that lets the bear know that you’re a human and that you are not a threat.
Just remember, don’t run, even if the bear runs toward you.
>>PG: I thought you were supposed to play dead if you see a bear.
>>FG: Definitely not, you should only play dead if a bear knocks you down. Roll up into
a ball and protect your neck with your hands. The bear will probably leave once it realizes
you are not a threat. But remember only play dead if the bear knocks you down.
>>PG: Ok, don’t run, stand your ground and talk to the bear. Anything else?
>>FG: The last thing to remember is to never let bears eat people food. If bears get used
to mooching off people they might get aggressive. That is dangerous for you and aggressive bears
might have to get shot and that’s bad for the bear. Make sure you don’t leave food
around when you’re camping and make sure your parents don’t put trash cans out the
night before trash pick-up day leaving bears time to get into it.
>>PG: Don’t feed bears. I think I’ve got it.
>>Female voice: Are you sure you’ve got it Dorothy?
>>FG: Oh look, Ranger Katrina!
>>Katrina: I just heard you all talking about bear safety. Do you really think you’re
bear aware Dorothy?
>>Dorothy: I think so.
>> Katrina: Let’s find out. Here’s a question for you. Mike is going on a hike with some
friends. Should he a.) tiptoe through the woods quietly, b.) listen to his iPod as he
hikes or c.) Makes lots of noise as he hikes.
>> Dorothy: Is it C, makes lots of noise?
>> Katrina: Correct! Make noise so you don’t surprise bears. Next question: Susan is walking
home on a trail and sees a bear. The bear turns around and looks at her. Should she
a.) Play dead, b.) run away or c.) stand her ground, raise her hands and say “Hey bear”.
>> Dorothy: She should stand her ground and say “Hey bear!”
>>Katrina: Very good. Ok last one, Mike’s mom says that the trash truck comes too early
in the morning and asks him to put it out the night before pick-up, should he a.) put
the trash cans out, b.) do a cartwheel or c.) respectfully tell his mother that putting
the trash cans out early might attract bears.
>> Dorothy: Well cartwheels are fun but he should tell his mother to put the trash cans
out early so the bears won’t have time to get into it.
>>Katrina: That’s right. Dorothy, now that you know how to be safe in bear country, there
is no reason you should be too scared to go on your school hike.
>>Dorothy: Thanks, Ranger Katrina
>>Katrina: Anytime!
>>FG: Well Dorothy, are you feeling better about going on your hike?
>>Dorothy: I think so, but it is so much to remember.
>>FG: When I have a hard time remembering things I sing a song. It just so happens I
got one about bear safety and it goes a little something like this.
>>FG singing with music: When you’re out there walking in the woods, be sure you make
some noise. That way the bears will know you’re there and that you’re good girls and good
boys. Now bears want to be left alone so all bears you should shun so if you meet a bear
and he starts to stare remember not to run. Because if you run from a bear you won’t
get anywhere. Sometimes people camping in the woods leave out food everywhere, but to
leave out trash is very rash because it just might tempt a bear. When you want to hike
don’t go alone, bring lots and lots of friends. So leash your pets so bears don’t fret and
bring your hike to a hairy end, just remember...When you’re on your own you’re more danger-full.
You’re bear-aware so don’t despair you can go on your hike and not be scared, we’ve
very sorry to stare but you’ve got strange hair.
>>Dorothy: Wow, that was great! Now I know how to stay safe in bear country. Thank you
for all your help fairy godmother.
>>FG: Oh, anytime dear. Next time we can do something about that hair.
>>Dorothy: Ok, bye!