The New Jersey Bear Problem: For Or Against Bear Hunting

Introduction

Cultural heritage and nature is fragile. The world’s richness is like a big puzzle: each monument, each object, the flora and the fauna, is an irreplaceable part of the overall picture that provides us insight into our origins, our development and our lives today. The nature and everything around helps us to understand and appreciate our culture and environment. And each discovery, each new interpretation adds to the puzzle and makes this richness clearer and brighter. Thus, we must ensure the protection of every single piece today, so that future generations may have the opportunities to enjoy this nature. Many people are not aware that our nature is under stress from natural disasters such as earthquakes and floods, and from slower acting processes such as pollution or human actions. And even the most innocent actions have a destructive influence if repeated by thousands. There are numerous ways in which one can unknowingly cause the destruction of nature heritage. Thus, we have to raise the awareness of the issue about bears. We have to join together and protect the diversity of nature – these black bears.

Humanity divided into groups with different thoughts, visions and opinions. Some of them see “New Jersey’s black bears as majestic symbols of the state’s diminishing wilderness and appealed for their preservation” (nytimes). Many people believe that it is a real danger and great risk to children and call for their elimination.

According to Hanley’s statistics, we may observe the following:

The New Jersey Fish and Game Council’s plan to allow bear hunting in the state for the first time in 30 years. Once nearly extinct, New Jersey’s black bear population is flourishing and is estimated at 1,000. The council has proposed killing 350 of them this year, and up to 320 more by 2003. It is to make its final decision on June 22. (“Proposed Hunt Brings out Bear’s Fans and Critics”, para. 3)

I absolutely agree with Gloria Zola-Mulloy, a social worker, who believes that problems should be solved through knowledge, science and education. There is no need for hunting. People who need to protect themselves or their property is another reason. People complain on bear’s roaming and walking in search of food, but their complaints do not involve bear’s attacking or injuring someone. People are afraid of their children’s safety and afraid to allow them playing in the yard. But according to Lynda Smith, the director of the Bear Education and Resource Group of West Milford, believes that “the state is making things sound worse than they are, and if they cut off food in the neighborhoods, the bears will not come in” (“Pets with Two-Inch Claws”, para. 10).

Shooting bears is currently illegal. The Township Council in West Milford, where the animals are plentiful, claimed it opposes the hunt because bears are attractive and symbolize the state’s little remaining wilderness (nytimes). The bear problem in New Jersey is not a crisis. Animals just rely on people to broaden their diet, but they are very intelligent. According to the expert on black bears, Lynn Rogers, “fatal attacks by black bears are extremely rare”, and “people face a greater chance of being killed by dogs, lightning or bee stings”  (nytimes, para. 33).

To kill in order to protect

Protection does not mean hunting or killing these “majestic symbols” of New Jersey. People just need education on how to respond to various types of bear encounters, advices and recommendations (tennesseehistory.com). “Human-bear managing strategies and programs” help to face challenges of mitigating bear incidents (usgs.go, p.154). Humanity must realize that bear’s instincts are powerful, and “mother bears, whenever they feel threaten or a person is too close, they act very aggressively”, making noise and running at people. But bears just want to make you think they will not you alive, but they almost always stop” (Herrero,para.5). 

NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife (2015), “black bears are the largest land mammal in New Jersey and an integral part of the state’s natural heritage, a vital component of healthy ecosystems”. Thus, it is essential to understand that garbage is a problem here. Division of Fish and Wildlife personnel explains this problem in the following:  The most common bear problem New Jersey’s residents experience is black bears getting into their garbage. Bears are attracted to neighborhoods by garbage odors, so properly securing your garbage is one of the best ways to prevent bears from becoming a nuisance in your community. (nj.gov).  

Vreeland, in her Comprehensive Black Bear Management Policy (2010) writes that it is crucially important “to educate people living and recreating in bear habitat about methods to minimize negative interactions with black bears” (Education, Policy, p.9). There are 900,000 black bears in North America, but the number of attack is small. Interaction with bear increases a danger, but people should know that black bears are less confrontational than grizzles or polar bears because they evolved differently.

Conclusion

Humanity must ensure the protection of every single piece today, so that future generations may have the opportunities to enjoy this nature. Hunting or killing is not a right decision here. People just have to be well-informed about the issue. Environmentalists and animal rights activists claim that violence is not a solution. Knowledge, science and education are much more effective and reliable ways nowadays. I am against bear hunting, because this causes the destruction of nature heritage, the destruction of these majestic creatures – black bears.

Works Cited:

Belluck, Pam. Study of Black Bears Finds it is not the Mammals that should be feared the Most. NY Times, May 11, 2011. Web December 1, 2015 <http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/11/science/11bears.html?_r=1>

“Comprehensive Black Bear Policy public Comments”. CBBMP. 2010, July 9.  Web December 1, 2015.<http://www.nj.gov/dep/fgw/pdf/bear/policy_lit/cbbmp_comments_received2010.pdf>

“Comprehensive Black Bear Management Policy”. NJ Fish and Wildlife,November 17, 2015. Web December 1, 2015.   <http://www.njfishandwildlife.com/bearpolicy15.htm>.

“GSMNP Bear Attack”. Claimed Filled against GSMNP in 2000 Bear-Attack Death of  Cosby Woman. Tennessee Web December 1, 2015                                 <http://www.tennesseehistory.com/archive/GSMNPbear.html>

Hanley, Robert. “Pests with Two-Inch Claws; Black Bears Grow in Number and Boldness  As Human Population Swells in Forest Areas”. NY times, June 3, 2000.Web. December 1, 2015  

Hanley, Robert. “Proposed Hunt Brings out Bear’s Fans and Critics”. NY times, June 7, 2000. Online Web. 1 December, 2015  < http://www.nytimes.com/2000/06/07/nyregion/proposed-hunt-brings-out-bear-s-fans-and-critics.html>

Hopkins, J. B., Herrero, S., Shideler, R. T., Gunther, K. A., Schwartz, C. C. &  Kalinowski, S. T. “Proposed Lexicon of Terms and Concepts for Human–Bear Management in North America”. Ursus 21(2):154–168. Online Resource, 2010. Web December 1, 2015. <http://www.nrmsc.usgs.gov/files/norock/products/Ursus_112010.pdf>

“Know the Bear Facts. Black Bears in New Jersey.” NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife, November 16, 2015. Web December 1, 2015.  < http://www.nj.gov/dep/fgw/bearfacts.htm>

State Appeals Court Dismisses Challenge   to DEP’s Comprehensive Black Bear Management Policy”. Department of Environmental Protection, December 1, 2011. Web December 1, 2015.  < http://www.nj.gov/dep/newsrel/2011/11_0135.htm>

Vreeland, Jeanette.  New Jersey Fish and Game Council. Comprehensive Black Bear (Ursus Americanus). Management Policy. Game Committee. July 13, 2010.Web December 1, 2015. <http://www.nj.gov/dep/fgw/pdf/bear/policy_lit/cbbmp7-10.pdf>

The terms offer and acceptance. (2016, May 17). Retrieved from

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