Dangerous Plants and Animals in the Mountains of Georgia

Georgia is about as safe a place to hike as any other. The main threats are people and dogs. This post talks about other animals and poisoning plants. 

Animals

Animals follow general principles of behavior. If you understand them, there is little to fear. The most basic universal principles are territory, fear, and aggression. All animals have a sense of territory and personal space, fear getting hurt, and are capable of aggression in certain circumstances. There is no reason to fear spontaneous, senseless aggression from animals. 

Cows (bulls)

Cows are almost always peaceful, but they, too, must be watched for signs of aggression. It's almost always the bulls that are protective, so check out a herd of cows before approaching it too see if there are bulls in it (you'll have to look for genitals/udders and a characteristic thick and muscular neck). Bulls are more likely to be protective if there are calves in the herd. Just like dogs, cows' behavior can be easily interpreted. Curiosity is demonstrated by raising the head to look at you without moving the rest of the body. Possible aggression is preceded by staring at you with both the head and the body facing you directly. The next stage is making a few short steps directly towards you, often followed by other bulls in the herd. At this point you should be moving away from them quickly, but do not run. In an emergency you can try throwing stones or waving sticks, but the problem with cows is that they are herd animals and follow each other rather than act independently, so you might have to hit quite a lot of animals with stones to change the trajectory of the entire group. If you encounter a herd with bulls in it that are standing up rather than lying down, make a loop off the trail in order to keep a distance of at least 20-50 meters, depending on the size and behavior of the herd. If you see cows roaming freely in the mountains, avoid camping close to herds, as they may become curious and approach the campsite.

Wild animals

Compared to people, dogs, and cows, there is very little to fear from the bears, wolves, foxes, jackals, and snakes of Georgia. Wolves become hungrier during the winter months, so hiking solo in the mountains in winter is not recommended. Wolves are afraid of people, though, and are mostly interested in sheep and helpless livestock. Bears are omnivores and have plenty to eat other than meat, and they are generally quite afraid of people. Just be sure to keep a large distance if you do see a bear. If you see it first and it is moving in your direction, make sure there is a large enough distance between you (>50-100 m) and then make some noise to alert it. You don't want to get close to a bear and then surprise it with your presence. So, if you see one in the distance and it is moving in your direction, start making some noise and waving your arms around to appear larger and more dominant. If you see a bear cub, keep far away from it because its mother is probably somewhere nearby and may be protective of it. 

Poisonous plants

The main poisonous plant to be aware of is "cow parsnip" (борщевик in Russian), a leafy and often large annual plant that is common in the Caucasus and is an invasive species across much of Europe. In the height of summer its juices become poisonous and cause skin burns that can be quite serious. At the same time, the plant stems are actually eaten by mountain people. Avoid contact with plant juices and push aside the leaves with your foot or a stick. 

Cow parsnip can grow to 2 meters.

Cow parsnip. The leaves have the same shape
whether they are small or large.