[silence]

This just lifted from Mike Gauthier's Mt Rainier Climbing Blog:

Terminated
This is a macabre post, so avert your eyes if you don't like to think about anything really, really, really cute being injured, shot or killed! As you can see, we have "Pickles." Pickles is a Cascade Fox. And unless you're an insensitive brute, most people would consider him a very adorable little guy. The problem is, Pickles was so charming, that he attracted a lot of friends, and with those friends came problems. This week, Pickles had to be euthanized (i.e. shot) because he was seriously injured. The general feeling is that he was injured because he was fed by humans.

So the story goes, Pickles was injured (or ensnared) a few weeks ago. Since then, he's been seen pathetically limping around the park near the road between Longmire and Paradise (let me say that this was not a very pleasant sight to witness). No one is sure what it was that exactly injured him, but something did destroy his right front leg. The general thought is that it was probably a vehicle, but maybe a trap. We really don't know. What IS known is that Pickles loved human food and became habituated to humans behavior. With that habituation came problems. The NPS biologist had this to say on the matter,

"After consultation with two wildlife veterinarians, we decided that this animal did not have reasonable prospects for survival in the wild. The leg injury was severe and there was some indication that there was head injury as well. This Cascade fox was fed by people well prior to the injury (even after the injury). Fed animals like this one quickly found that hanging around the frontcountry and roads between Longmire and Paradise was really rewarding. What the feeding public does not understand is that what they do has consequences - some very serious consequences."

This was the third Cascade fox/vehicle collision recorded since 2005. All were fed animals or cubs of fed animals. Vehicle occupants and wildlife are at risk when animals are fed. Like the old adage with bears - fed wildlife most often result in dead wildlife.

Addressing the park's wildlife feeding problem is a big task that is going to take a while. We've been working to increase awareness of the issue with park staff and visitors but have a long way to go. We're seeking help from social scientists, trying different ways of getting information to the public, and are seeking funding to help reduce the problem. Please help me get the word out.

So here's the word. Don't feed the wildlife! Or...

Posted Wed, Nov 7, 2007

++++++++++++++++++++

Obviously, this is not an isolated case. When troublesome animals, more particularly bears because they can pose a real risk to public safety, become habituated by exposure to human food they will be euthanized -- sadly, "a fed bear is a dead bear."

Taken from the Olympic NP web site:
If bears become accustomed to human food, they may become dangerous and aggressive. To protect visitors and property, park management may close an area to visitors (my note: this had to be done on the Graves Creek trail because backpackers didn't secure their food properly) or a park biologist may have to destroy an aggressive or dangerous bear. Two park black bears have died due to poor food storage by visitors. 

Just my own thoughts on the subject: camp robbers (gray jays) and chipmunks are the biggest temptation and worst offenders; they're cute and amuse us no end ... esp, with their persistent begging; but how many of you have been dive-bombed, pooped on, and literally had food ripped from your hands or stolen from your cooking area while trying to prepare dinner? Obviously, this is not part of their natural behavior ... it's learned from their human encounters. They don't need our food -- it is not a part of their natural diet and can make them sick; feeding obviously alters their natural behavior, and can even expose them to predators and other dangers (like Pickles). That's why we all need to resist the temptation to feed them (and teach our children well), be vigilant with our food at all times (eat it or carry it out), and make sure all food and garbage is stored securely -- that means no stashing of packs along the trail for that quick side trip up to the summit -- take the time to hang them unless using a canister (esp in bear country).

[sten]

It is a fine line, and sad that so many find it so hard to walk.

from http://www.myoutdoortv.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=585&Itemid=85

GRIZZLY BEAR SHOT BY WILDLIFE OFFICIALS IN NORTHERN IDAHO
Coeur d’Alene, Idaho:  A 250 pound, two and a half year old male grizzly
bear was shot and killed the evening of October 4 by Idaho Conservation
Officers, as it walked near residences in the vicinity of Nordman in
northwestern Idaho.  The Idaho Department of Fish and Game had previously
secured agreement from the US Fish and Wildlife Service to take the lethal
action against the bear which was determined to pose a threat to human
safety.

On August 11 the bear had been trapped in a culvert trap.  It was
tranquilized, fitted with a radio collar, and relocated more than 25 air
miles to the north near the Idaho/British Columbia border on August 12.
The bear returned to the original area of capture on or before September 8.
The grizzly was killed with a high powered rifle on October 4.

The grizzly had received food rewards from human sources, had lost its fear
of people, and was considered to be a threat to human safety to the extent
that it could not be safely relocated.

“The bear became conditioned to expect food from humans,” said Rob Soumas,
Conservation Officer for Idaho Fish and Game. “A photographer placed corn
near his house so he could obtain photos of grizzly bears.”  The bear found
corn cribs near other houses that were placed out to attract and feed deer.
The bear also discovered and tore apart bird feeders to obtain sunflower
seeds.

The bear became accustomed to the food and lost his natural fear of humans.
This is a fatal combination for the bear, said Soumas.  “There’s an old
adage that ‘A fed bear is a dead bear’ and unfortunately that was the case
for this one.”

The Idaho Fish and Game Department was notified of the situation in late
July when some residents became concerned about the behavior of the bear
which was being seen with regularity.  Traps were set and the bear was
caught and relocated.

When the grizzly returned to the original area, the bear was now trap shy
and successfully avoided capture.  Although not aggressive toward humans,
the bear began to scavenge on porches, decks, and carports, and began
entering chicken coops to eat chicken feed.

In one incident, the bear inadvertently isolated a resident from his home
when the bear ambled through a carport.  The man kept his car between him
and the bear and safely made it into his home. Following this and other
incidents and discussions between the IDFG and the US Fish and Wildlife
Service, a decision was made on October 1 to remove the bear from the wild
using lethal methods.  When the bear was observed near a residence on
October 4, officers shot the bear.

On the morning of October 5, a second grizzly was captured in a culvert
trap.  This bear appears to be less habituated to humans, and is being
collared and released in a remote location.

Idaho Fish and Game Wildlife Research Biologist Wayne Wakkinen and Grizzly
Bear Education Officer Brian Johnson expressed frustration with the
situation.  “People need to be aware of the consequences of their actions,”
said Johnson.  “Intentionally attracting an animal like a grizzly bear to
your house by using food puts both humans and the bear at risk.”

Wakkinen agreed.  “Wild animals do not need to be fed by people to survive,
and feeding does nothing but lead to problems for wildlife,” he said.
“This is a classic example of the bad that can happen when people feed
wildlife.  People were placed at risk, and at least one…and perhaps two
grizzly bears will end up being removed from an already small population. “

[Snowbrushy]

As the saying goes - A FED BEAR IS A DEAD BEAR.

[RayD]

Better fed than dead!