Animals Could Attack In the Adirondacks

We share the Adirondacks with a few species of animals that are capable of injuring or even killing humans

Story by Max Galanty

Lions, Tigers, and Bears, not quite. The Adirondacks are not known for deadly animals; however there is a strong presence of wildlife. Often times wild animals are unpredictable and an encounter with humans could be dangerous or even fatal. It seems that the outcome of any interaction between people and wild animals is a roll of the dice, and perhaps the best bet is to not come into contact with any species that lives in the wild.

New York State only has three species of poisonous snakes that people need to worry about. Fortunately for the citizens of the North Country there is only one, and it is listed as "threatened" by the New York State Department of Conservation. The Timber Rattle Snake is mostly found in the south-eastern part of the state but scattered populations go as far North as Lake George. There are some cliffs along side Lake Champlain where there are walking trails known to host a few rattle snakes.

The Timber Rattle Snake, as its name implies, has a rattle at the end of its tail which makes a distinct buzz when the snake vibrates its tail. Being a 6-foot-long venomous snake, it's best left alone. New York State doesn't have any particularly aggressive snakes but they are liable to attack when handled.

"Sometimes people get bitten while they're researching and collecting rattle snakes to put transmitters," said Ed Reed a wildlife biologist for the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. "One guy got bit on his arm but he didn't die," Reed said.

Another animal that one should avoid handling is the Coyote. In New York State there is a rather large population of the German Sheppard like canine. Their numbers are estimated to be between 20,000 and 30,000 in New York. People generally believe that Coyotes are limiting the number of deer but deer numbers have progressively increased in all Adirondack counties from the 1970s to peak numbers in the 1990s. In the past it was rare that Coyotes would attack humans but as both Coyote and human populations grow it is becoming more probable. Attacks have mostly been reported in suburban areas where coyotes have lost their fear for human and associated them with easy food such as garbage and pet food. "Coyotes are most likely to cause human injury because they aren't afraid of us," Reed said.

Another animal which presents danger to those who cross paths with it is the Adirondack Black Bear. The Adirondack region is home to a population of almost 4,000 bears which happens to be the third largest population in the United States. Black bears are most dangerous when they start to feed on human foods. Bears that feed on garbage are likely to accidentally get trapped near buildings and then become defensive. It is this defensive behavior that makes the black bear so dangerous to humans. When humans assume a subordinate role with a bear they put themselves in danger.

"The Adirondack region is home to a population of almost 4,000 bears which happens to be the third largest population in the United States"

Black bears have a great homing ability which means that bad interactions will not necessarily stop if the bear is moved somewhere else. An example is a female bear in the Adirondacks that was captured and marked because of nuisance behavior. The bear came right back to the same place after being moved more than 40 miles away from the original location.

The chances of a human being injured by a bear are generally very low. Millions of people have enjoyed themselves in the same vicinity as bears in New York state. Only eight people were injured by bears in New York between 1960 and 2000. Since then there have been two more serious injuries by way of bears, one incident was an unprovoked fatal encounter with an infant. That incident was the first human fatality caused by a black bear in New York State. "The bears like garbage and dirty diapers so it probably smelled something that he liked," said Reed.

The truth of the matter is that as the animal population and the human populations grow closer and closer together the chances for an altercation become more likely. Humans need to be aware when they enter these wild animals' territories. "Just about any animal in the right situation is dangerous," said Reed. Other than that, humans can enjoy nature with caution and from a distance and everyone wins.

Which animal would you most dread seeing face to face in the wild?

Moose In the Adirondacks

There are an estimated 300-400 moose in the Adirondacks. They mostly are found near logging sites. "The moose population is pretty well distributed throughout the Adirondacks," said Ed Reed.

Male moose (called bulls) attack cars, tractors and trains during their mating season. The moose mating season is from September through October.