Bear and hammock in the news in Colorado

[CoyoteWanderer]

Being from Colorado, I'll post my opinion on this. People decide to pass laws to protect the animals. They close up hunting lands and oddly enough, there are fewer animals, whether it's prey or predator, being killed by hunters. Natural habitat becomes crowded and the animals get closer to towns looking for food. And when the pretty deer come to towns, the mountain lions and bears follow the food and end up in town too. Then these people start feeding the animals and take pictures and have friends come look at the "pet" wildlife. Then a mountain lion kills a $1500 poodle for a snack or a bear dumps over trash cans or scratches a lady dozing and the animal must be killed. Makes no sense to me. I've seen both mountain lions and bears in the mountains here. Hate to see one killed due to something like that.
Of course, just my opinion, and I'm sure it scared the he** out of that woman.

Hey Myke,

You've got a good theory but, as I understand it, you have likely placed responsibility a little off where it likely belongs.

The animals likely come into urban areas simply because food is easier to get, not because they are following the prey animals and not because someone is feeding them. Garbage placed outside, composts, garbage dumps, all have huge amounts of food for wildlife. Where I grew up as a child in the interior of British Columbia, there were 10-12 bears that were permanent residents of the garbage dump.

Here in BC, if a cougar/bear gets your dog or cat, it is unfortunate but as long as the animal moves back out of populated areas, there isn't really action taken against the animal. If it attacks a person, or pulls out their permanent resident card, and that is a different matter. Usually the Conservation Officers (wildlife rangers? Not sure what the equivalent in the US is) will tranquilize or trap and relocate an animal rather than put it down.

Ultimately, the bear here, regardless of intent, got too close to a human, and will likely have lost it's healthy fear of the top predator on the planet and needed to be put down. Once they have laid a claw on a person, it's too late for resettlement/relocation or discouragement. You simply can't be certain what they have learned.

As for feeding, I think people are generally better than they were in the past. Here, BC Parks board maintains an education campaign with signage at all the parks ... "a fed bear, is a dead bear". Any front country area will have bear proof garbage containers provided by the Parks Board. That being said, there are still a lot of idiots that leave garbage all over. I think garbage is a far bigger cause of these problems than feeding.

So, ultimately, I think people are definitely at fault, but maybe not so intentionally as you opined.

[Myke]

Coyote, You make a valid point. I know the animals come to urban areas for the easy food, but if you ever make it to Colorado look me up. I'll show you places here in the Springs and even head to Aspen and show you the feeding bins people put out for deer and turkey. There are places here, where nice bucks stay in a square block of area. Several people in the area have plastic buckets and totes full of deer food keeping the deer close. What reasons would the deer have to return to the wilderness. Same with bears, they may come to find a trash can, but then they see the grain put out for the deer, basically tame deer staying in a small area, plus the trash, why would they leave such a prime feeding area? I know we could debate back and forth on this for ever and never come to a complete agreement. I think humans need to have a healthy respect and fear of the animals as well, instead of trying to keep them close.