A bear cache is a container designed specifically to keep food safe from bears. Bears pose a threat to hikers and backpackers in bear-infested areas around the world, especially if the smell or sight of food attracts them. Commercial bear cache products that people can carry easily and securely pack food in, and that have opening mechanisms that only humans can open, are available for purchase.
Food left at campsites and in backpacks can emit odors that a bear finds appealing, attracting the animal inadvertently. Even if the humans are unharmed, a hungry bear searching for food may destroy valuable property. A bear cache is a way for hikers to pack their food in such a way that the odors are reduced, and the food is protected from the bear if it finds it.
A commercial bear cache is typically made of plastic and is small and light enough to be carried in a backpack. It’s usually smooth and cylindrical, making it difficult for a bear to grip and tear apart. Bears are dexterous and can even get into cars, so the closing mechanism on the cache is most useful if it is fiddly enough that it requires a human to open it. Even though a bear cache reduces the risk of encountering bears, extra precautions such as storing food away from a campsite or hanging it halfway between two trees are often sensible ideas that can protect people from a potentially dangerous or lethal encounter.
Humans are more likely to encounter bears when they go on leisure hikes into bear territory. On a foraging mission, bears can also wander into campsites. The animals can also go into towns and villages in search of food, following their noses to trash cans and other food sources. People try to reduce their appealing food scent as much as possible because the animals can be lethal to humans. A bear cache keeps human food out of the hands of bears, and bears out of the hands of humans they might endanger.
Animals tend to follow their instincts and seek out the most accessible food with the highest energy content. Human food meets both of these criteria, causing bears to become a nuisance and putting people in danger. To protect people, a bear that deliberately comes into contact with humans and their food may need to be euthanized.