Are bears more likely to attack menstruating women?
Dear Cecil: One of the highlights of my year is an all-girl backpacking trip with a group of friends. I mentioned this at a party recently, only to have some (male) geek give me dire warnings about women camping while on their periods. He claimed bears are irresistibly attracted to the scent. I checked with one of my more experienced camping buddies, who said she’d heard the same story but attributed it to another fiendish male plot to keep us in the kitchen. Since this year’s trip is planned for Yosemite, which is known for its bear population, I thought I’d better get the straight dope. Should we be concerned? Or just more careful about whom we converse with at parties? — Kate Reneau, Santa Monica, California Cecil replies: Oh, I dunno. Even dweebs have their entertainment value. Dubious as this business about bears being attracted to menstruating women may sound, however, it can’t be entirely dismissed. Two menstruating women were killed by grizzly bears in Glacier National Park in
