Marking territory of their own is a crucial element of bear interaction. Bears take a lot of time and effort to place appropriate markings and stake their turf. They leave scratches and gouges, augmented by olfactory urine markings, on the trunks of large, stand-alone trees or big, unusually shaped stumps. Thus they proclaim loud and clear: ‘This is my territory! Do not trespass or you’ll have me to deal with!’ By doing so, they delineate their ‘home turf’ where they find food, shelter and mating partners. This sends a signal to weaker or less confident specimens to seek other habitats, thus reducing the risk of a direct clash between two bears.