Question

From the video we watched on Black bears:

• What are bears doing when they rub against trees or drag their feet on the ground?  
• How does this action help them be more successful (ie Survive, Grow and Reproduce)?

Answer 1

Bears donot rub against tree or drag their feet on the ground to get rid of itchiness. These actions are considered to help them for their survival. These actions help them to communicate with other bears.  When they rub their back against tree , they tend to mark their scent which will help them to attract mates. It is also helpful for male bears to get to know each other better inturn it leads to reduction in the fight among themselves to get the female partner. As they smell similar, when the bears go and sniff the trees they feel safer as they are related and they become less aggressive towards each other. This act to communicate with one another is also called chemical signaling. Hence these chemical signals help them to be more successful.