Animal Encounters: The Science of Animal Attacks (Bears, Sharks, Big Cats, Apes)

Please note this course already aired live so this is the recordings only; no live lessons.

A 4-part online course that looks at what happens when people run into big predators. We will look at the behaviour of bears, sharks, big cats and primates.

What’s included:

• Four 60-min session recordings
• Printable worksheet pdf for each lessonOverview of lessons:

Session 1: Bears

• Meet different types of bears—black, brown, polar, and sloth—and find out why they act the way they do
• Why bears sometimes charge or attack people, and how biologists recommend you (and the animals) stay safe around wildlife.
• The difference between defensive and predatory attacks.
• The science and recommendations from bear biology’s about things like bear spray and bear bells or when or even whether to “play dead” with certain species.
• A look at the “Grizzly Man” story and what it teaches us.
• Advice from current bear experts on staying safe outdoors

Session 2: Big Cats

• The story of the famous historical case of the “Man-Eating Lions of Tsavo” and what experts think really happened
• How tigers and leopards behave around people and why conflicts and defensive and/or predatory encounters happen
• How communities and scientists work together to keep everyone safer

Session 3: Sharks

• Which sharks are responsible for most bites
• How rare shark bites really are but why scientists think they happen when they do
• Shark biology and behaviour
• Tips from marine biologists on how to stay safe in the water

Session 4: Wild “Pets”

• Why animals like chimps and tigers don’t make good pets and why many regions ban it completely but…
• The crazy number of big cats people keep as private “pets” in the U.S.
• What laws like the Dangerous Wild Animals Act are all about
• Some of the wild animals kept by private collectors in England—like mountain lions and alligators!
• The worrying trade of chimps as pets and why it’s so dangerous (For both the chimp and the human).
• What happens to wild animals kept as pets—how it stresses them out and affects their behaviour

Age/Content information:

This course is designed for curious minds interested in animal behaviour science. While it will contain no explicitly gory content or sensationalism, it will explore real-life encounters with large predators and will discuss sensitive topics such as human deaths from bears, sharks, and big cats.

Recommended Minimum Age: 12+ years old. No maximum age! Parent/Guardian Discretion: Every person is different. The above age is just a guide! Parents/guardians can review the course content outline (further down this page) and decide whether it is suitable for them. The worksheets etc will be aimed at KS3-KS4 learners.