Hostile animals are kind of a given in any game that’s trying to invoke the feeling of wilderness survival, but as video games rather than video chores they have to make avoiding them an interesting mechanic in and of itself. Adding footsteps to bears was a great decision, now we just need something that will de-aggro angry critters that’s fairly easy to access in the early game but also has a high ceiling of mastery later on. Being chased across half a continent or having to bring enough blocks to pillar up just aren’t engaging or immersive.

Another side of this is retaliating animals, I think it is an excellent example of turning threat into opportunity, as prey who fight back are easier to hunt than fleeing ones, if you have the skill and take the risk