ANIMALS!! Domestic and Wild Animals You May Meet During Your Runs!

#375 - No matter where we run, road or trail, we're board to encounter animals. What kind of run does determine what kind of animal you'll meet. In the contiguous North American States, there's a lot of animals we can encounter. This episode is about the many animals you may meet. Sorry Alaska, but you're on your own. Same for your Australia, I'm sure you're much more well-versed on your fauna than I am. I researched from a variety of experts to find the best and most common sense advise handling the many animals we many encounter. I hope you find this helpful and keep having fun on your runs! 

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(Cont.) ANIMALS!! Domestic and Wild Animals You May Meet During Your Runs!

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Do you enjoy stories of interesting places and fascinating history? Hidden West on YouTube is about the past, present, and future that make Western America such a unique place. Every week, a new video will bring you insightful and inspiring stories showing why there is no place in the world like the West. Welcome to Martha Runs the World, a podcast with a new take on running, fitness, and all things health-oriented. I'm Martha Hughes, your host, and each week I present a new topic that is of interest to all runners. Hi, and welcome to episode 375 of Martha Runs the World. Thank you so much for joining me. I appreciate it each and every week. This week, boy, I have a lot to cover, so I'm going to get started very quickly. This is about animals that you might encounter on your runs, whether it be road or trail. And I think I've done an episode like this in the past, but I don't think I put it all together in one episode. So we're going to talk about animals in the contiguous US. I'm not talking about Alaska because they have a whole nother thing going on up there. And I'm not going to tell you how to get away from a polar bear. Okay? And other countries have their own problems, so I can't help you with getting away from a crocodile in Australia. Okay? Sorry, I can't do it. But if you're in the US and you want to figure out how to keep yourself safe from animals, this is the place to do it. I'm going to talk about dogs. All right, now, dogs you may run into on the road or trail, so this can apply to both. What's the right way to greet a dog? What's the wrong way to greet a dog? What do you do when you see a growling dog? I'm going to go over what experts say we should and shouldn't do. Now, about 4.5 million people in the U.S. are bitten by dogs annually. There aren't any stats about how many runners are, but I'm sure there are quite a few. Dog behavior is, of course, determined on how well they're trained. And unfortunately, a lot of dog parents don't train their dogs properly. I know that because in San Francisco it's true. Many, many people have dogs. They don't train them as well as they should. That's just a simple fact. I know you're probably a wonderful, wonderful dog parent, but some people are not. There are millions of great dog parents out there just like you, but there are equally many poorer ones. Now here's a simple word about rabies. I live in San Francisco in the Bay Area, and there hasn't been a bite from a domestic rabid animal in the Bay Area in over 60 years. In the health clinic I work in, you'd be amazed at how many people think their neighbor's dog that just bit them might have rabies. So I always ask them, is the dog biting everybody? And they say, no. Is the dog running around like it's crazy? No. Is it frothing at the mouth? No. Okay, then it probably doesn't have rabies. A rabid animal isn't just going to bite one person and then that will be the end of it. It's going to bite everything and everyone it can. Most places, most cities, you're not going to run into rabid dogs. It's going to be the wild animals. However, though, that in the um in the rural areas, you might find a rabid dog. If you're out in the outskirts in the nowhere land of New Mexico, you might find one. But most likely you're going to get it from is a wild animal. And in the West Coast, skunks pass along rabies more than any other animal. In other parts of the country, it's bats, in some parts, it's coyotes. It really depends on where you are. So if you get bit by a skunk, by all means, go to the ER. But if your neighbor's dog bites you, you might need to go to the urgent care to get it sewn up or to get it cleaned out, but you're not going to need a rabies shot if you live in the San Francisco Bay Area. Now, like I said, other areas are different, but here it's okay. Now, I love greeting all the dogs I see when I'm out running or walking. I can't, of course, there are so many of them, but some I love to. And some dogs don't have a problem with that. They're very social dogs. They love people, but other dogs aren't as tuned into strange people. They're kind of shy and they feel intimidated and they're not good dogs for that. So you have to really be on the dog's level. You have to understand what the dog likes. If they like to meet new people and they like to be petted, then that's one thing. But if they don't, you have to respect them for it. And here are some key steps to safely approach a dog. You always, always, always ask the owner or the parent first if the dog is friendly and if you may pet it. And the best and safest way to approach a dog is sideways, approach from the side, not head on, and avoid direct eye contact. This is really important. Don't look directly in the eyes because this may seem threatening or intimidating to a dog and it may make them angry. Be calm and slow. Move slowly and keep your voice low to avoid triggering fear or excitement. You even though you see, oh puppy, and you just want to scream and yell, but don't do that because it may get the dog too excited or it may scare them. Let them approach. The best thing to do is if you want to meet a dog and the dog wants to meet you, the dog's gonna come up to you and say, Oh, I want to meet you, hi, you know, and the dog's-that's not what it says, but that's what it's thinking. I I think the dog comes up to you and greets you, and then you're okay. But it's really the dog's choice. Now, safe petting spots include petting the the dog on the side of the neck, chest, or back rather than reaching over the head. That's another thing people don't understand is that they may be sensitive on the head, and that that may be they may be a rescue dog who's had bad experiences, and you want to be careful about that. And what to avoid? Do not hug, kiss, or stare directly at the dog. Avoid petting dogs that are in cars, behind fences, or tied up. You really want to be careful about that because there a dog in a car may think it's protecting that car, so you don't want to reach in. And a dog on a fence behind a fence is protecting that area, so you don't want to reach in unless the dog is really friendly and you know the dog. If it's a strange dog, let it be, let it do its job. Watch body language. If the dog is tense, growling, or has its tail tucked, don't approach. Just let it go, don't even look at it directly. Just walk slowly, look ahead of it. You see it there, but in your side eye, look at it as you just go slowly, slowly away from it. Now, if a dog approaches you, follow these guidelines to protect yourself. Stay calm, don't panic or run. It's important to stay calm and not panic as showing fear or running can trigger a dog's instinct to act aggressively. This is really important for us runners. You don't want to run away from an aggressive dog. I think that's our first instincts to do that, but it's wrong. Avoid prolonged eye contact. Dogs can interpret this as a challenge. Instead, look slightly away, but keep the dog in your peripheral vision. Command the dog to leave. If the dog charges you in a firm tone using a deep voice, give the dog short commands such as go away, leave, get out of here. Or you can even say sit, you know, see if that works. In addition, stomping your foot, thrusting your finger, or swinging an object in your hand at the charging dog may show enough dominance that the dog will stop charging or possibly leave. If you're on a trail and you have trekking poles, this is a perfect thing. Just use those to uh scare the dog off. Back away slowly. Never turn your back on a dog. Always face the dog while slowly backing away. Stand still. If the dog approaches you but hasn't attacked yet, try standing still with your hands by your side and feet close together like a tree. This may diffuse the situation and chill the dog out. If the dog has knocked you down, don't try to get up and run. Roll into a ball. Cover your face, throat, and neck with your hands and arms. Try not to move or make a sound until the dog is gone away. Call for help if necessary. That's from the Central California SPCA. Now if you pass farm animals in a fenced area, unless you know the owner or the animals, it's best to observe them from a distance. They may be nice, they may not be, but you don't want to go up too close to them. I love watching the videos of cute goats too, but not all farm animals are as gregarious as those we watch on YouTube or TikTok. Now let now that's the domestic animals. Now let's get to the wild animals. Let's talk about smaller animals. Now, the first small animal that I'm going to think of is birds. It's springtime, so birds are building nests. Either they have or they are ready to lay eggs. They're ready to start their families for the year. So they can be very protective. If you're running in an area where there are birds, even in the city or the country, and you know there are birds in the area. Now blackbirds are infamous for this, they may swoop down on your head. Now, the best way to protect yourself from that is to wear a hat. Just wear a hat. It keeps your head out of the sun and it keeps the sun out of your face and it keeps your head protected from missing a few hairs. Because sometimes the the birds are looking for stuff for their nest or they're protecting their nest by pecking your head. And if you have a hat on, it's not you're not going to feel it. So I would say that's a really, really good thing to do. And don't worry about it. They're just being very protective, mommy and daddy birds. Now the only other animals that people seem to worry about are coyotes and bobcats. And you really don't have to worry about them unless you have small dogs or children. So I would just worry about, I wouldn't worry about them, but I would protect them as best as you can. If you have, if you take your little dog out, they have those really nice um, not sweater, but they have those really nice collars on with spikes on them, or that you can put on their back that has little spikes on them. And that's a really nice way to protect them. I would say just don't let them go off leash, keep them on leash, and of course with your kids, just be careful with them. Now, coyotes do not attack people. They rarely, rarely do. It's a very, very rare occurrence. I think there's only been, you know, just a handful of attacks. There was one questionable event that may or may not happen a few years ago that involved a famous runner and a coyote during a race in the headlands, but I'm not gonna go into that right now. Let's just say that it may or may not have happened. Now, one time during a run in the headlands, I had a bobcat running in front of me on the trail. I assumed it was looking for rabbits. There's a bunch of rabbits up there. I mean, that's why there's so many bobcats, coyotes, and mountain lions, I'll get to them in a minute. Up there in the first place. Like coyotes, bobcats pose no risk unless you have a small dog or a child. So I just protect them a little bit more. They're usually very shy. So I was surprised that this one was as visual as it was. I was surprised that it ran in front of me for so long that it did, and then it took off into the bushes. Now let's talk about bigger animals. Let's talk about mountain lions. Mountain lions. Now, some runners are terrified of mountain lions and more than they need to be. There's a saying about mountain lions. If you see one, they're not going to attack you. And that's usually true. I saw one in the headlands before. I've only seen one. They're very, very quiet. You hardly ever see them, but I did see one. It was up the trail a bit and it was a small one. It was a juvenile. I started singing and it ran away. Trust me when I say every time I sing, everything runs away. It's a great protection device. If I have any problems with animals, I just sing and they say, Oh, please stop singing, stop singing, please. Yeah, I can't sing. So it's perfect. If you do encounter a mountain lion, experts say, stand tall and stay calm. Do not run as that triggers a chase response. And that's really the key here. Don't run. Stop, face the lion, and make yourself look big by raising your arms or opening your jacket. If you have trekking poles, this is perfect. Hold those up over your head. Do not crouch. Avoid bending over or crouching as it makes you look like a small four-legged prey animal. Make noise and eye contact. Speak loudly and firmly, maintaining eye contact. Back away slowly. Give the lion a chance to escape. I would say play music on your phone too. Is louder the better. Metal. Perfect. That would scare them off. Throw items. If it moves closer, throw rocks, sticks, or dirt to show that you are not easy prey. Now, on the rare occasion, if you are attacked, this is what the experts say to do. Fight back. Use rocks, sticks, trekking poles, tools, or bare hands to fight back. Stay standing. Try to remain on your feet to protect your head and neck as long as you can. Use deterrence. If you have bear spray or if you have a whistle, blow that whistle really loud, really loud. It's those obnoxious whistles they have, those little whistles they have on Ultimate Direction and Solomon packs and all those. Blow that whistle really loud. Now report immediately any encounter attack to local law enforcement or wildlife officials so they know what's going on. Okay, now bears. Bears, it really depends on what kind of bear. Each bear act differently. Most of the bears you will see in the contiguous U.S. are black bears. There's only a few places where there's grizzlies left, unless you're in Alaska. Like I said, Alaska is a whole nother thing, and I have no experience up there. I don't know anything about that. You guys gotta do your own thing. So black bears. Different bears act differently. Black bears are the most common bear in the U.S. There are over 300,000 black bears in 40 plus states, with California, Alaska, and Maine having the most. They are the most used to being around people, yet they still are wild animals. So they should be met with respect and handled properly. If you see a bear, stop, stay calm, and back away slowly while facing the bear. If the bear follows you, stand your ground. Shout, clap, make yourself look big. Wave arms, stand on a stump, use your trekking poles. I would say play music on your phone, something really loud like metal, rap or something, just something really, really loud. If a black bear attacks, which will be very, very rare. Black bears hardly ever attack, and it's usually for a reason. Fight back aggressively with rocks, branches, or your bare hands. Do not play dead. I think there's only been a handful of black bear attacks. They will usually leave you alone. Bluff charges. Black bears may bluff charge, running at you and turning away just to test you. Stand your ground. That may seem really, really scary and something that you never want to do, but you want to do that. Grizzly bears. Now grizzlies are a different thing. They're a totally different type of bear, obviously, and they have different ways of um, they have different behaviors. They're mostly found in Alaska, but you'll also find them in Montana, Wyoming, Washington, and Idaho. A key safety measures carry bear spray. If you're in an area with grizzly bears, you must carry bear spray. It's really, really important. And have it accessible. Don't have it in your pack. Have it ready in the front. If you're that area, I hope you do carry a hydration vest and you have the bear spray in one of the vest pockets. And know how to use it too. Learn how to use it properly so that if you need it, you can use it in a second. Make noise. Talk loudly, shout or clap, especially in your rushing water and dense brush, or on windy days, like I said, blast music from your phone. Hike in groups, of course, larger groups are less likely to be attacked. But if you're alone, you can't do that. Be alert, watch for signs of bears, such as fresh tracks, scat, or digging. And by all means, if you're in grizzly country, please don't listen to music with headphones. You know, you can listen to it without, just blasting it if you want, but it might bother other hikers and runners. Avoid high-risk times. Avoid hiking at dawn, dusk, or night. And I would say avoid running, but I mean if you're out there running, you're gonna probably be out there at those times at one time or another. And if it's a race, I wouldn't worry about it because there's so many people out there you're making enough noise that it's gonna bother any any wild animals in the area. Handling encounters with a grizzly. If you see a grizzly, stop, stay calm, do not run, and identify yourself by talking calmly. Back away slowly, sideways. If a grizzly approaches, stand your ground, use bear spray. If a grizzly charges, use bear spray. If it makes contact, play dead. Leave your pack on, lay flat on your stomach, and protect your neck with your hands. If the attack persists, that's when you fight back. Other things now I am not even at the most dangerous animal. The most dangerous animal is coming up. I'm gonna have that as the last one. And you're not gonna guess what that is. Snakes. Different parts of the U.S. have different species of snakes. In the West, we have rattlesnakes. But this safety list can apply to any type of venomous snake. Key safety strategies. Be aware. Watch the trail about five to ten feet ahead, especially in sunny spots, near rocks, or in tall grass. Listen for the rattling sound of a snake if it's a rattlesnake, if you're in that kind of country, and keep at least one ear free of headphones, especially in high risk areas. I would not listen to music in rattlesnake country. I don't. I want to hear all the rattling. Wear protective gear, use high ankle socks, or trail running gaiters to protect your ankles where many bites occur. And that's actually a thing. Gaiters are very helpful for that. I know it's just cloth, but it can help a little bit. Avoid high risk times. Snakes are more active in warmer weather and during the night. Step on rocks, logs, not over them. Avoid stepping directly over obstacles, as a snake may be resting in the shade on the other side. If you see a snake, stop, don't panic, and slowly back away. Give the snake time to move on its own accord. What to do if bitten? If a bite occurs, keep calm and seek immediate medical attention. Do not try to catch the snake, but take a picture from a safe distance for identification if possible. Spiders. Some runners have a huge fear of spiders while running trails. Spiders are not actively looking to attack you like us. They just want to live their lives and be left in peace. I mean, really, the only time you're gonna probably run into spiders is if you're the first person on the trail and you get all the spider webs in your face. All those spiders are all gonna be mad at you for messing up their handiwork. It's just common sense. Wear long socks, gaiters, use a headlamp during early morning, and situational awareness, watch where you place your hands or sit, particularly rocky or dense vegetation areas, shake out your shoes and clothing to see if anything is left inside like spiders, or if you're in the desert, of course you know better. You need to shake out your shoes and everything to check for scorpions. That's a really nice thought, isn't it? Okay, common misconceptions. Spiders do not have the stamina or intent to chase runners. What looks like a chase is usually confusion or a coincidental movement. Spiders only bite when feel threatened, such when they are crushed or trapped against skin. So they're not actively out to get you. We're up to the most dangerous animal. I'm not talking about humans here. Yes, I know we are the most dangerous animal, but I'm talking about other animals. The most dangerous animal you are going to encounter on the trail is the tick. It's probably one of the smallest ones, too. I always hear How runners are afraid of mountain lions and coyotes, but the one animal they should really be afraid of is much smaller. The one animal that causes more harm to humans is barely seen. Ticks are statistically, that's hard to say, the deadliest animal to runners and hikers in North America, as they commonly transmit diseases like Lyme disease to hundreds of thousands of people annually, posing a higher threat risk than rare, dramatic encounters with bears or mountain lions. Key aspects of tick danger. Disease transmission. Ticks are primary source of vector-borne diseases in the U.S. with over 475,000 cases of Lyme disease estimated annually. Common infection? Besides Lyme, they transmit Rocky Mountain spotted fever, babyosis, and earliquiosis. And sorry if I mispronounce those, I apologize. Attachment time. Generally, a tick needs to be attached for 36 to 48 hours to transmit Lyme disease. But other infections can be transmitted in a few hours or minutes. Symptoms. Watch for fever, chills, fatigue, muscle aches, and a bullseye rash. Prevention. Use 20 to 30% DEET. Wear light color protective clothing. Treat gear with permethrin, and perform thorough tick checks after outdoor activities. Okay, pre-ren preparation is really important when it comes to ticks. Clothing. Wear light-colored moisture wicking clothing to easily spot ticks. Choose long pants and long sleeves to minimize exposed skin if you're really afraid. Barriers, tuck your shirt in your pants and your pants into your socks. All that stuff will really help if you are afraid of getting of ticks. Use insect propellant with 20 to 30% DEET or picaridin. Sorry if I mispronounced that. I apologize. Unexposed skin. Permethrin. Treat shoes, ska socks, and gear with 0.5% permethrin, which kills ticks on contact. Wear a hat and tie back long hair. Now during your run, run in the center of trails to avoid brushing against tall grass, brush, and leaf litter where ticks wait. And they just spend their lives just waiting to get attached to you. Kind of scary, huh? Post-run procedures. Shower, take a hot shower within two hours of finishing your run to wash off or identify crawling ticks. Gear check. Ticks can hitch rides on clothes. Dry your workout clothes on high heat for 10 minutes to kill any remaining ticks. Body inspection. Perform a thorough body tick check, checking areas like armpits, behind the knees, and in the hair. Check pets. If running with a dog, check them thoroughly as they can carry ticks into your home. Tick removal and symptoms. If a tick is found, use tweezers to grab it close to the skin and pull straight up. Do not twist or squeeze. Monitor for symptoms for 30 days, including a bullseye rash, fever, or fatigue, and seek medical help if needed. And it's just always good to take precautions and to know what to do in case something happens. Of course, we're not planning on anything to happen, but it's just nice to know in case. The better prepared you are, the better run you're gonna have. Don't be afraid of animals. Just know what to do when you encounter them. Alright, so that is it for today. And if you want to email me, it's MarthaRunsworld at gmail.com. And thank you so much for joining me. And until next week, let's tie up a shoelaces and go for a run.