Monday, September 29, 2008

"Astonishing" news: bears are in NJ



I'll pretty much watch any show that has a live bear as a central story. I got sucked into a show that was trying to figure out if some ancient giant bear had survived in Alaska by breeding with grizzly bears. A monster bear if you wish. Cue the montages of random hunters who had killed strange bears and their trophy photos. There's the polar/grizzly bear hybrid and the polar bear way inland. They only hang on the coast so it was strange to see a bear inland...kind of like Lost. Then my favorite part was "astonishing" footage of a mother black bear and her three cubs shot in a New Jersey backyard. Of course, there were interviews with the concerned mother who was living in a brand new house who had bears walk through her backyard. Funny thing. If you build a house in bear country, you will have bears around. It's not their problem when they are enticed by your garbage or bbq. They are just like us. If there's an easy option they will take it. But somehow these bears are labelled as a threat. Something must be done...i.e. hunt them down. Then there's the footage of a NJ hunter stalking with a bow and arrow through his backyard woods. They spot a bear in the distance in the woods and the hunter goes "If it looks over here, be very still and quiet." Why? Are you afraid it might see you and attack? That's unlikely. Are you concerned it might run away? Of course, the bears runs off once it spots them.

What I do know is that black bears are about to become a large problem in NJ. Their population is exploding. It should be mandatory that residents in bear country have bear proof garbage containers. People say a yearly bear hunt will solve the problem. The real problem is that the bear hunt only takes place in remote woodlands where the bears are living lives relatively untouched by people. It's the problem bears that live in developed areas that feast on garbage that should be the target of any solution. Maybe I'm foolish, but I actually want to live in the heart of bear country. Maybe it's the grass is always greener on the other side, but it'd be the closest thing I'd get to living in real nature.

4 comments:

Hooligan said...

If you move to bear country, you better keep an eye on your picnic basket. I hear that in Jefferson, there is a bear with no pants, hat & tie running around causing trouble and blowing out pilot lights.

suntawrites said...

Great post! While spending time in Ringwood, NJ some 10 years ago, there was a bear right outside getting into the garbage and came right up to the sliding glass window and looked in at us. So adorable, but can be very intimidating!!!
I am not one for hunting, but dunknow that I would be living with you where the "grass is greener!" LOL.
:)

Colleen said...

I'd like that, too.
That reminds me of someone we know from high school hating deer because she totaled her car when she hit one. It's not the deer's fault its habitat is disappearing. Should the deer use birth control?

Jules said...

My niece lives in Highland Lakes and she sees bears like on a daily basis. I find that pretty awesome.