The Bear’s Amazing Sense of Smell

If you're going on a bear watching tour, you should certainly take the time to research a few facts about how these magnificent beasts live, hunt, behave and survive in their world. The animals have adapted very well to the environment in which they live, and one of their most useful assets is their keen sense of smell.

When on bear watching tours, your guide will warn you about such details as keeping your backpack free of food and anything else that might attract the animals to your presence. Their incredible sense of smell is something they rely on for their everyday survival and, for those going bear watching, being vigilant with the food supply is paramount. Even when in camp, food is usually stored at least 30 metres away to ensure any visiting animals are not tempted to venture in too close.

An Amazing Sense of Smell

So how does the bear's incredible sensory ability of smell help them on a daily basis? This exceptional sense is reported to be up to 2100 times better than that of the human ability – a pretty mind boggling consideration. But the reason it has evolved so acutely and efficiently is because they depend on it far more than we do.

Having a highly evolved sense of smell stands them in good stead in various aspects of their life. They need it to help them find food, seek out a mate, keep track of their cubs, and also to detect danger. Mothers do not tend to wander far, but they are the exception to the rule. Adult bears are territorial and range huge areas to find sustenance - their keen sense of smell can guides them towards carcasses up to 20 miles away.

The Science of Smell

This incredible ability is down to the bears' olfactory bulb in the brain, which manages the sense. It is five times bigger than the one in the human brain, even though our brains are three times bigger in total. In addition, inside their nose there are many hundreds of muscles, which help them twitch the appendage with a dexterity we humans associate with our fingers. There are a great many more receptors in a bear’s nose than in a human’s, as well as a far greater surface area.

For those lucky enough to embark on a bear watching tour, being able to observe the animals utilising their keen sense of smell within their natural habitat affords an important insight into a fascinating wild creature.

Marissa Ellis-Snow is a freelance nature writer. If you’re looking for bear watching holidays, Naturetrek specialises in expert-led natural history and wildlife tours worldwide. Naturetrek brings over 25 years of experience to polar expeditions and tours to other spectacular regions on Earth.

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