Black bears subscribe to the philosophy that retreat is the better part of valor, and the forest provides a safe haven. Unlike the grizzly bear, which is more likely than the black bear to take an aggressive stance, a black bear is more likely to take a quick turn off the trail when encountering a human being, disappearing into the forest. Its black coat blends in well with the shadows of the forest so that a black bear may be quite near, yet unseen by human eyes. Bears are good climbers, and have also been known to climb trees in order to avoid unwanted encounters with people in the forest.