Here's one for the shame files. Two days ago I wrote an article entitled "Urgent: Spare the Bear Who Killed the Hiker." The hiker was reportedly off trail, alone and didn't carry bear spray, all in violation of Park recommendations.
The authorities at Yellowstone National Park thought it URGENT TO KILL the captive bear named Blaze in spite of the public protest and outcry to save her. They did so yesterday. Apparently it is a capital crime for a bear to be a bear protecting her cubs in the wilderness. And the cubs? They will be sent to a zoo to spend the rest of their lives as captive prisoners.
There was no room for discussion or dissent. One online petition had over 143,000 signatures asking them not to kill the bear. The National Park Service issued a press release defending their hasty conduct, the basic tone of which was "we know best."
Superintendent Dan Wenk stated "As managers of Yellowstone National Park, we balance the preservation of park resources with public safety. Our decision takes into account the facts of the case, the goals of the bear management program, and the long term viability of the grizzly bear population as a whole, rather than an individual bear."
He sure told us. Now we know who the master of the domain is.
I am reminded of the Copenhagen Zoo in Denmark killing a healthy giraffe and a family of four lions last year to make room for more. Surplus animals are what they called them.
"The greatness of a nation can be judged by the way its animals are treated." - Mahatma Gandhi