Hi Katie, welcome! (Am I allowed to welcome somebody if I have fewer than 1000 posts? :p ) You're right; bears are amazing animals. They can run faster, swim better, and climb better than we can. They can sniff out food better than anything else on earth. They are grouchy, territorial, and unpredictable (especially black bears).
I grew up with too many true stories of people camping or hiking in the pristine Ontario wilderness and ending up as a bear entree. Too often it was kids. I suppose if I'd grown up in the environs of mountain lions I'd feel the same about them. I'm just happy if bears stay far, far from me.
