I hope this sparks some conversation -- it's just sad.
Yesterday the big news in Central Florida was that the authorities captured and killed a bear weighing in at over 700 pounds. Largest bear every **seen** in Florida. Not in a big park or natural area. He was living in suburbia -- in a very populated suburban area, and his size had been attained simply by living off people's trash, things deliberately set out for him.
He was killed because yes, he was dangerous. Why? Because he no longer feared people. He lived too close. Certainly he could have killed (and probably has) pets ... other wildlife .... or most sadly, he could have claimed human life.
Florida is home to an odd assortment. Gators, snakes -- all have been crowded out of their natural habitat by the relentless urban sprawl. Bears used to be limited to the Ocala National Forest or even the Everglades Swamps, but not any more. In the past few years more and more bear reports have surfaced and several killed by wildlife people because they are living in extremely populated areas, breaking into trash, and even garages in places you just plain wouldn't suspect to find a bear.
People who live in Florida are actually proud of our wildlife and the small sense of "danger" I guess they represent. But it totally escapes me -- WHY would people feed bears, and gators, and other predators. WHY would you lure them closer. WHY would you make them see humans as a ready source of food free for the taking.
I am so sad. Would I want to meet this bear? Heck no. But I feel badly that just because he's been successful at surviving THAT alone makes him dangerous. He'd become adept at finding "free food" and taking it.
Why do they euthanize -- or just plain destroy them when they find them? Because they can't relocate them -- they have learned to seek out people and civilization FOR FOOD. Not to eat people (altho they could) ... but simply to take what we so easily leave for them to find. Do people keep their trash secure? no. It's too hard. Or they leave things out, or they leave pets unattended.
It just makes me so sad -- it seems such a waste of a successful life. He was just living his life ... and he was good at it. Gosh, they couldn't even have re-located him to some desolate area (there are none in Florida, first off) because taking him out of Florida would have meant he probably couldn't survive in colder temps and he would have been even more driven to find humanity to find the life he was used to.
I just wish people would think ... and take just a little care. And not think it was "funny" to feed the bears or gators.
I just wish people would respect life. I know, I know ... asking way too much isn't it?