May 9
...serving up your daily dish.
Police have been cruising the residential neighborhoods of Livingston today warning people to stay inside their homes. Why? A black bear has been seen roaming the neighborhood since 6 a.m. From ABC Eyewitness News:
The bear was first spotted roaming on Amherst Place near the Livingston High School complex just after 6:00 a.m. Dozens of police officers responded and began chasing the 200-pound animal as it moved through the largely residential area.
They pursued it first behind the Cedar Commons senior citizen building, and then to Shrewsbury and Tremont avenues. The officers continued tracking the animal and by 7:30 a.m., it was again spotted a mile away on the eastern end of the township.The animal was tracked to an area west of Shrewsbury Drive, and that section near Interstate 280 was cordoned off as police officers and the animal control officer waited with a tranquilizer gun.
Meanwhile, authorities activated the reverse 911 to warn residents to stay inside their homes. Several were spotted dragging in their trash cans. Police hit the local streets, driving around the windy suburban roads to tell residents.
Obviously this lost animal wasn't told about the new zero tolerance rules for bears wandering urban streets in New Jersey, or that he entered a Bear Exclusion Zone. Hopefully he won't suffer the same fate of this bear who wandered onto the city streets in Trenton last Saturday.
Bears, shmares...I just like to think of them as really big doggies.
Posted by: Miss Martta | May 9, 2006 4:06:39 PM
For someone who grew up in Northwest Morris County a bear in the residential neighborhood is a daily occurence not a news item. It's really funny how the marginally-controlled hysteria strikes when it happens somewhere folks aren't used to it. Try getting a Jefferson or Sparta or Vernon cop to "chase" a bear. My mom has a great photo of one sitting on her front steps casually taking in the scenery.
Posted by: darren | May 9, 2006 4:10:21 PM
It amazes me ~ all the fuss. There is no historical record of any Black Bear ever killing a human in New Jersey.
They deserve RESPECT not FEAR.
However, quite a few humans have killed bears. And orphaned cubs.
Posted by: quaker-oats | May 9, 2006 4:31:56 PM
...Do bears eat geese or deer?...
They will consume deer if they have the opportunity, although I don't believe they actively hunt deer.
Posted by: Paul from OB | May 9, 2006 4:33:32 PM
As long as the Black Bears in New Jersey are so much nicer than their cousins, we should be ok then....
http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,,1754407,00.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fatal_bear_attacks_in_North_America_by_decade
Posted by: Right of Center™ | May 9, 2006 4:39:12 PM
Right of Center, That attack in TN was unusual. May I direct you to the stats on 2005 bear hunt in NJ. The score is:
298 BEARS killed
0 HUMANS killed (by bears)
http://www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/news/2006/bearseas05.htm
Personally, I think humans are much scarier. You don't see bears making atomic weapons.
Posted by: quaker-oats | May 9, 2006 4:47:44 PM
Perhaps,
And these too?
Elora Petrasek, 6, female April 13, 2006 Black She was killed and her mother and 2 year-old brother seriously injured in an attack in the Cherokee National Forest in Tennessee.
Arthur Louie, 60, male September 20, 2005 Brown Killed by a female while he was walking back to his mining camp after his car had a flat tire at Bowron River, British Columbia.
Jacqueline Perry, 30, female September 6, 2005 Black Killed in a predatory attack at the Missinaibi Lake Provincial Park, north of Chapleau, Ontario, Canada. Her husband was seriously injured in the attack. [1]
69, male August 26, 2005 Black Fatally mauled while picking plums at Selkirk, north of Winnipeg, Manitoba.
Isabelle Dube, 35, female June 5, 2005 Brown Killed while jogging with 2 friends on the Bench Trail in Canmore, Alberta
Rich Huffman, 61, male; Kathy Huffman, 58, female June 23, 2005 Brown Killed in their tent at a campsite along the Hulahula river 12 miles upriver from Kaktovik in Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
Merlyn Carter, 71, male 2005 Black Found dead in the main cabin of his fishing camp located 300 km Northeast of Ft. Smith, Northwest Territories, Canada.
Timothy Treadwell, 46, male ; Amie Huguenard, 37, female October 2003 Brown Found by their pilot, dead and partially consumed at Katmai National Park, Alaska on October 6, 2003. Treadwell was world-famous for his books and documentaries on living with wild bears in Alaska. State Troopers investigating the incident recovered an audiotape of the attack. [2]
Forestry worker April 17, 2003 Black Stalked, killed and partially consumed by a large, black bear near Waswanipi, a village in northern Quebec.
male citizen of Alberta, Canada September 2002 Black Attacked and killed at a remote oil rigging site in northeastern British Columbia.
male hunter September 2002 Black Attacked and killed in his campsite in Gaspé region of northern Quebec.
Ester Schwimmer, 5 months, female August 2002 Black Bear grabs and kills 5 month old infant from stroller on the porch of home in Fallsburg, New York
Adelia Maestras Trujillo, 93, female August 2001 Black Bear breaks into a house in New Mexico and is confronted by the elderly owner who dies during the attack.
Kyle Harry, 18, male June 3, 2001 Black Attacked and killed at a rural campsite 25 km. east of Yellowknife in the Northwest Territories, Canada.
George Tullos, 41, male July 14, 2000 Brown His partially consumed body was found at Run Amuk campground in Hyder, Alaska.
Mary-Beth Miller, 24, female July 2000 Black Attacked and killed while on a training run in Quebec, Canada.
Glena Ann Bradley, female May 2000 Black Killed and partially consumed by a 112 pound female and her 40 pound yearling. The attack occurred while she was walking on a trail near Smokey Mountains Campground near Gatlinburg, Tennessee
[edit]
1990s
Name, age, gender Date Species Location, Comments
Ned Rasmussen, male November 1999 Brown Found dead 2 days after he disappeared on a deer hunting trip on Uganik Island, Alaska.
Ken Cates, 53, male May 25, 1999 Brown Killed while hiking on the Funny River Trail near Soldotna, Alaska. Investigators found bear blood at the scene, and determined that Cates fired two shots with his rifle scoring at least one hit. The bear was never found.
Craig Dahl, 26, male May 17, 1998 Brown Last seen alive hiking in the Two Medicine area of Glacier National Park. His partially consumed remains were found three days later.
Audelio Luis Cortes, 40, male February 8, 1998 Brown Killed by a single head bite while working with a seismic crew in the Swanson River oil field near Kenai, Alaska
Marcie Trent, 77, female; and her son, Larry Waldron, 45 July 1, 1995 Brown Killed by a bear defending a moose carcass on the McHugh Creek Trail near Anchorage, Alaska.
John Petranyi, male October 3, 1992 Brown Attacked and killed by a female with 2 cubs on the Loop Trail, Upper McDonald Valley, Glacier National Park.
1991 Algonquin Park, Canada
[edit]
1980s
Name, age, gender Date Species Location, Comments
Gary Goeden, male found September 1, 1987; missing since July 28, 1987 Brown His partially consumed remains were found at Natahki Lake, Many Glacier Valley, Glacier National Park.
Charles Gibbs, 40, male April 25, 1987 Brown He was last seen alive following and photographing a female with cubs at Elk Mountain in Glacier National Park. Investigators recovered film of the female approaching in attack mode at 50 yards.
Photographer October 1986 Brown Approached an adult female too closely in Hayden Valley, Yellowstone National Park.
Backpacker July 1984 Brown Killed at a backcountry campsite at the southern end of White Lake in Yellowstone National Park.
Camper June 1983 Brown Killed at the Rainbow Point campground in the Gallatin National Forest just Northwest of Yellowstone National Park.
Laurence Gordon, male September 30, 1980 Brown Attacked and killed at the Elizabeth Lake campsite in the Belly River valley, Glacier National Park.
Jane Ammerman, female; Kim Eberly, male July 24, 1980 Brown Attacked and killed at Divide Creek in the St. Mary valley, Glacier National Park.
[edit]
1970s
Name, age, gender Date Species Location, Comments
1978 Algonquin Park, Canada
Mary Pat Mahoney, 22, female September 23, 1976 Brown She was dragged from a tent and killed at Many Glacier campground in Glacier National Park.
male June 1972 Brown Killed by a bear that was feeding on food that was left out at Yellowstone National Park.
[edit]
1960s
Name, age, gender Date Species Location, Comments
Julie Helgeson, 19, female August 13, 1967 Brown Killed at Granite Park campsite in Glacier National Park by a female bear. Helgeson's companion, Roy Ducat, was severely mauled during the attack.
Michelle Koons, 19, female August 13, 1967 Brown Killed at Trout Lake campsite in Glacier National Park by a female bear.
Although Helgeson and Koons were the same age and killed on the same night, these were separate attacks by different bears approximately 10 miles apart. [3]
[edit]
Posted by: Right of Center™ | May 9, 2006 4:50:15 PM
ROC- A lot of those were Grizzly Bears. But I didn't realize black bears could be so aggressive. I'm learning something.
Wish I knew this when I huge Black Bear came out of woods 10 feet from me at Delaware Water Gap. He looked more afraid than I did.
Posted by: quaker-oats | May 9, 2006 4:55:47 PM
I asked a "bear expert"/forest ranger - at Delaware Water Gap what to do if I came upon a bear in the woods.
His answer: "It depends, each one is different".
Yikes.
Posted by: quaker-oats | May 9, 2006 4:57:31 PM
Yes, each one is different. And so are Grizzlies & Black Bears. Althou Grizzlies tend to be "bolder", there are many factors when a bear is provoked: Suprised! Challenged! Cubs in danger! Hungry! Woken up from sleep!
A few rules: Never try to stare them down! Never run! If confronted, try to make noise & assume a large figure position (arms outscretchted) & make loud noises. IF & when they come at you, lay down in a fetal position & cover your face/head . If you're carrying food in a backpack, and the bear is coming toward you...loose it!
WE've spent some time in Montana, Utah,
Colorado, Texas, etc. We've come close, but have never had a confrontation.
We've read alot about what to do, &
what has happened to others. It's NOT something you'd want to happen to you.
Posted by: JT | May 9, 2006 5:27:48 PM
Radio reported this a.m. that the bear had moved on to West Orange.
I heard that, if you meet one, not a bad idea to speak softly & soothingly & slowly back away before you opt for the arms-outstretched-&-loud approach.
Or maybe that was for mountain lions.
Posted by: crank | May 9, 2006 5:54:46 PM
Mountain Lions? In a way, they're worst. You generally don't see them, they'll stalk you. They'll find a high ground. Althou children & small dogs are easy prey for them, they've attacked joggers/runners in some areas.
Posted by: JT | May 9, 2006 6:01:00 PM
It was just looking for pic-a-nick baskets....with his sidekick Boo-Boo
Posted by: Sea | May 9, 2006 6:53:51 PM
It's the same cycle. Did you read the article laser?
It's about how *some people* say that "race is an issue".
Do you even read these things?
Is the "subject line" of the google entry the depth of your "scholarship"?
Posted by: Right of Center™ | May 9, 2006 6:54:29 PM
THE BEAR, by Robert Frost
The bear puts both arms around the tree above her
And draws it down as if it were a lover
And its choke cherries lips to kiss good-bye,
Then lets it snap back upright in the sky.
Her next step rocks a boulder on the wall
(She's making her cross-country in the fall).
Her great weight creaks the barbed-wire in its staples
As she flings over and off down through the maples,
Leaving on one wire moth a lock of hair.
Such is the uncaged progress of the bear.
The world has room to make a bear feel free
Posted by: Quaker Oats | May 9, 2006 6:55:15 PM
"Radio reported this a.m. that the bear had moved on to West Orange."
The taxes were probably too high in Livingston.
Posted by: Trollhater-hater | May 9, 2006 7:00:24 PM
