Along with Winnie the Pooh and the Teddy Bear, bears are one of the most iconic animals in the world. The survival of these noble creatures is essential to the survival of the human psyche – they not only play a role in the balance of the environment, they play a role in the balance of the human mind.
Grizzly. Photo: US Fish and Wildlife
Service
The adversity we are all facing in this pandemic has revealed the
character of millions of people; doctors, nurses, neighbors and countless
others have demonstrated their character by putting themselves at personal
risk to help the most vulnerable among us.
If there is a silver lining to this crisis, it may well be this increased
awareness of and concern for the vulnerable. It is my hope and belief that
this compassion might extend to those we don’t always think of as
vulnerable, though I assure you, they are.
The images a few months ago of Koala bears scarred by the massive forest
fires in Australia evoked global empathy for Koalas. The event reminded me
of a time and place when the American conscience was similarly moved.
Seventy years ago firefighters found a five-pound bear cub clinging to a
tree, where he had escaped a blaze. His paws and legs were burned. They
named him Smokey. The Forest Service has used him as an icon for protecting
our national forests ever since. Unfortunately, Smokey has treated us far
better than the Forest Service has treated our bears.
For eons nature’s bounty has nourished bears to meet their voracious
appetites and feed their young before hibernating. But there’s a more
sinister food source lying in wait for these majestic animals. Doughnuts,
dog food, raw meats, and bread—all of it drenched in molasses or syrup—are
used by hunters as bait to attract black bears and then kill the
unsuspecting animals.
These bait traps, though targeting black bears, also attract grizzlies. In
fact, a growing number of hunters are using remote cameras to capture photos
of grizzlies, including one shared with the media in mid-January. And the
record shows that dozens of grizzlies—many of them dispersing to claim new
terrain—have been killed at bait traps on national forests in Idaho and
Wyoming.
One of the core ethics of the hunting community is the concept of fair
chase. Nothing about bear baits that entice hungry animals while a hunter
sits in a lounge chair waiting for the helpless animal to arrive complies
with the ethic.
While the states of Idaho and Wyoming authorize the practice of black bear
baiting, including within the range of the grizzly, it is the U.S. Forest
Service that has abdicated its responsibility to protect bears. Though the
agency, at one point, applied stringent regulations to the practice of bear
baiting nearly all of those have been rescinded over the years due to
pressure from hunters and state game agencies.
What’s more paradoxical is that hikers and backpackers are under strict
regulations to store their food and refuse, as well they should be, to
prevent bear/human conflict.
Recognizing both the irresponsibility and hypocrisy of the Forest Service’s
actions, WildEarth Guardians sued the Forest Service last year for
endangering grizzly bears. That lawsuit now awaits a ruling on whether
plaintiff groups have legal ‘standing’ to have our case heard.
But the truth is the practice of bear-baiting itself should be banned not
only because it harms an endangered species but also because we can and
should be better – not only better hunters (if that is what you choose) but
better, fairer, people.
Three quarters of a century ago, the Forest Service launched its Smokey Bear
campaign and emblazoned the iconic animal on the public consciousness. Along
with Winnie the Pooh and the Teddy Bear, bears are one of the most iconic
animals in the world. The survival of these noble creatures is essential to
the survival of the human psyche – they not only play a role in the balance
of the environment, they play a role in the balance of the human mind.
At the heart of Smokey’s identity is vulnerability (the image of a three
month old cub desperately clinging on for life). The Forest Service has used
that image for decades to protect the forests, yet fails to protect our
bears by allowing hunters to exploit the bears’ most basic vulnerability –
the need for food. If more of the Americans public knew about the practice
of baiting, there would be outrage.
Trust in American institutions is at an all-time low. To restore some
measure of trust in the Forest Service, the agency should take basic steps
to protect black and grizzly bears from the unethical and barbaric behavior
of a few by banning the practice of bear baiting in our national forests.
It’s the least we can do.
The bear is a fundamental part of our national story, and for many of us –
our personal story as well. A human being is nothing, if not a collection of
stories. When we protect these worthy animals, in a sense, we are really
protecting ourselves.