Rubbing The Right Way Wouldn't Hurt

Having watched the antics of our representatives refusing to meet and to deal with other countries instead of practicing actual diplomacy, I find this a refreshing approach. We need some trees strategically placed so that our beligerent set of negotiators can set up some boundaries.

The mystery behind the tree rubbing antics of North America's grizzly bears may at last have been solved.

A few select trees are used by grizzlies to perform strange rubbing rituals, but for years the reasons for this behaviour have baffled ecologists.

Now, a study suggests that male grizzlies seeking mates are marking the trees to communicate with other males - possibly to dodge deadly bear battles.

The work will be presented next week at a British Ecological Society meeting.

Owen Nevin, a behavioural ecologist at Cumbria University, UK, who carried out the study, said: "A handful of trees ('rub trees') are used for years by different grizzlies who each approach the trees in exactly the same way.
(snip)
"For a large grizzly bear, the only real source of mortality is other big bears, so lots of strategies are adopted to reduce the likelihood of having to fight.

"If one recognises the other from the scent marks on the rub trees in the area, he knows he's in for a tough fight - he's on the other guy's patch so to speak - so it might be better to back away than make a serious challenge.

"When two males meet, the more information they have, the better for both of them."

Of course, if we had rational operatives in place to effectively act in the interests of the U.S., this wouldn't be necessary. That not being the case, some rubbing trees would be at least better than threatening the very nations we need to work with. The stink certainly wouldn't be any worse than we are creating now.

(Great bear pictures at the link.)