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Rabbit Advocacy Animal Matters
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Pedals the Walking Bear Is Dead, New Jersey Officials Believe October 17, 2016 New York Times The internet mourned over the weekend after unconfirmed reports that Pedals, a bear that walked upright on its hind legs and was often captured on video strolling around New Jersey suburbs, may have been killed by a hunter. On Monday, the worst fears of Pedals fans seemed to be confirmed. The State of New Jersey said it believed the famous bear was dead. And it had photographic evidence. The New Jersey Department of Environment Protection released five pictures on Monday that showed the lifeless body of a 333-pound American black bear. He had injured or deformed forepaws — just like the ones Pedals held close to his chest as he meandered through the backyards of Rockaway Township, N.J. One picture released by the department showed the bear’s body strung up from a ceiling by a chain. Bob Considine, a spokesman for the department, said that Pedals — whom he referred to only as “the upright bear” — had been “harvested.” Mr. Considine said in a statement that the department could not conclusively determine the identity of the bear because Pedals had never been tagged or had a DNA sample taken. But they believed this bear to be him. “The injured paws and chest blaze of this particular adult bear brought to Green Pond appear to be consistent with the bear seen walking upright on several videos taken from North Jersey residents over the past two years,” he said. The department did not appear to take a particularly warm view of the public affection for Pedals. Mr. Considine explained that there was “no practical way” to single out one bear for protection, however popular he may have been, during the hunt. And besides, he said, bears are wild animals. “While many have developed an emotional attachment to the upright bear, it is important to recognize that all black bears are wildlife,” Mr. Considine said. “They are not pets. They are capable of doing damage, even in a compromised state.” Many disagreed with that view. Over the weekend, the internet elevated Pedals to the pantheon of famously slain animals like Cecil the Lion and Harambe, the Cincinnati zoo gorilla turned powerhouse meme.
Fans started memorial Facebook pages where people could mourn his death, share their Pedals-themed artwork and sometimes cry out for vengeance. The state has refused to release the name of the hunter, who some on social media described as the “suspect” in a murder. One Facebook group dedicated to the bear provided a list of dos and don’ts to mourners, including “DO NOT send death threats” to the suspected hunter but “Do let everyone know that the Pedals the famous walking bear was assassinated.” New Jersey has grappled in recent years with an exploding bear population that jostles for space alongside its human residents, who themselves are packed into the most densely populated state in the country. The number of bears has grown since the 1980s, and they have steadily migrated out of their traditional stamping grounds in the state’s northwest, according to the Division of Fish and Wildlife. Bears have been sighted in each of the state’s 21 counties, it said. An annual hunt was introduced in 2010 to help manage the bear population. The 2016 hunt was the first time since the 1960s that bear hunters were allowed to use bows and arrows, Mr. Considine said. A total of 562 bears were killed last week. The department said on Monday that northwestern New Jersey has more black bears per square mile than anywhere else in North America and that its bears also enjoy one of the country’s highest reproduction rates. Bears and humans typically coexist with few problems, but some recent episodes have caused alarm. New Jersey had its first recorded bear-related fatality in 2014 when Darsh Patel, a 22-year-old Rutgers student, was killed by a black bear while hiking in West Milford. A Boy Scout troop leader was injured in a bear attack one year later while hiking with children in Rockaway Township. Comment: As gatekeepers of legislation, politicians must be held responsible for their compliance with such atrocities. While ‘hunting’ is legal, a moral crime was committed. That a beloved bipedal bear was coldly and senselessly murdered by a heartless and twisted individual should have society worried. Cubs were left without their mothers. Rise up against such inhumanity, people! “Whenever I see a photograph of some sportsman grinning over his kill, I am always impressed by the striking moral and esthetic superiority of the dead animal to the live one.” Edward Abbey (1927 - 1989), A Voice Crying in the Wilderness Note: Another massacre, in which firearms can be used, is scheduled for Dec. 5-10. Pedals' Law passes out of committee and now will go to the full Senate for a vote. Thank you Senator Raymond J. Lesniak, everyone who testified and who supported Pedals' Law which will protect ALL of our bears. Bear hunts will end for five years while a non-lethal bear control program is implemented. Bears pay ultimate price of human action while man most dangerous; 'trophy' victims Go to our Websites/Articles & Ethics page for more! |