I’ll be moving to Switzerland and am hoping to do some backpacking there. I have bear cans for bear safety, which are needed in the US (eg [BV450](https://www.rei.com/product/768901/bearvault-bv450-food-container)). I’m having a hard time finding info on wilderness bear safety in Switzerland: are bear cans required or are bear hangs good enough?

9 comments

  1. Did you also bring your trusty time travel kit? You will need it to go back to 1903 before the last bear in Switzerland was killed so that you can use your bear hangs.

    Edit: OK, it’s true the Italians are reintroducing them but if another one makes it over the Alps you’ll have to be very quick to get to it and tease it with your bear gear before another Swiss hunter shoots it.

  2. There are no bears in Switzerland, one wandered in a few years back and got killed by some asshat.

    There are some wolves but our asshat farmers want to kill them instead of doing their job of guarding the sheep.

    The only cans you need to bring on a hiking trips in switzerland are beer cans.

    Edit: Sorry but if you are moving to switzerland you should inform yourself a little more about our country I think 🙂

  3. As long as you don’t fall into the Bärengraben in Bern there’s no need for any bear equipment here.

  4. It is spelled beer cans. Yes you can bring them, put please also bring the empty ones back home and dispose them properly. Needed? A glass of white wine is also appreciated on the mountain top, or just tea, water, etc.

    As also with with wilderness beer safety, drink responsibly and do not wander in unknow territories at night when you have to take a leak. You might fall down a deep cliff or piss on a electrified fence.

  9. You don’t need bear cans in Switzerland. Every few years, a bear wanders in from Italy, usually in the Grisons, and makes the news. So basically… there aren’t any. Not even the little black ones which you don’t really need bear cans for.

    ​

    You might need a cow stick.

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