Bear Bones VS Bare Bones

Good day readers and followers.  Today, here in the city of Questionopolis, or suburban Philadelphia, PA, USA is a bright and sunny day.  I hope that yours is too.  The world has been on fire, literally.  The world has been in a the hold of the global coronavirus pandemic and the emotional upheaval of not only protests but abject violence.  The protests were warranted.  The violence, looting, arson and anarchy are not.  As the world takes notice of the changes that must take place in humanity- our voices, our actions and how we treat one another will evolve.

I have other concerns too.  The disruption of nature and habitats for our animal friends.  I've never been known to be a "tree-hugger."  However, I have long been an outdoorsman.  Fishing, camping, formerly hunting have been all been enjoyable activities for me.  Trail cycling and an occasional hike too.  Here, in the US, more specifically, in my home state of PA there has been rampant development of the land.  Now going into a third decade that I can clearly document.

Due to the pandemic I had not been traveling much in the last three months.  Last weekend, after local ordinances opened up I was out on my motorcycle.  Now, months ago there were two large, open expanses of land that had signs posted for new home development.  One area of a few hundred acres and another formerly adjacent farm were amazingly lined up like monopoly houses.  More houses than people who can afford to buy them- they are not small and they are not cheap.  Concurrently, there have been multiple bear sightings in other neighboring developments.  This should not come as a surprise.

A few family farms have been donated as permanent open space, however they are of much smaller acreage than those being developed.  If we disrupt the habitat, the home where the bears live, yes they will come to my house, your house- wherever in a reversal of the Goldilocks and the three bears.  The news agencies and the department of fishing, game and wildlife issued statements that the "bears are wild, do not approach them, you are not in a zoo."  Thanks.  Thank you for stating the obvious.

Homeowners are warned to "take down your bird feeders, keep your garbage away from your house, etc."

I am shaking my head as I recap this now nightly warning.  The process goes like this;

Wildlife officers eventually tranquilize the bear or bears

They load the furry animal into a trailer 

Drive them to an upstate open area

Drop sleepy bear off in a new neighborhood

Or;

Bear finds an open door and goes into a house, get agitated trashes the place.  Another scenario, attacks a human adult or child.  Police show up and kill the bear.  Fair?  I say that after analyzing all of the layers, no.  Do we allow a wild animal, as the agencies have stated to attack a human?  Of course not.  However, how did we get here?  We have homeless people and there are varying reasons how that occurred. We have homeless animals but we know how that occurred.  If we disrupt the circle of life it could lead to extinction.  Our grandchildren will be told how there used to be black bears and pheasants (long gone from southeast PA), crayfish etc in the woods.  Heck, they will probably ask "what are the woods?"

In my head I imagined setting up an interview with a couple of the bears- as if they could talk.  Bob and Barb the bears were my guests.

Me- "Bob, you've been seen tearing down bird feeders in several yards early in the day, what do you have to say for yourself?"

Bob-"Well Answerman, where do you live?"

Me- " I live in the same house in Questionopolis for the last 25 years, three bedrooms, 2.5 baths on a 1/4 acre lot with nice gardens that I created."

Bob-"Well, Man- you're cool with me calling you man, right?

Me-"Sure Bob."

Bob-"Great, thanks man.  Anyway, I'm homeless.  Homeless Bob and I'm obviously not alone."

Barb-"You know that's right!"

Bob-"See, I used to live on about 2,000 acres of central Montgomery county for about 4-5 years, but the bulldozer and humans kept shrinking our neighborhood.  About 20 years ago we had 1,000 acres, 10 years ago it was about 600, 5 years ago it was 300- feel me, Man?  We used to have all kinds of juicey berries, acorns, nuts, flora, beetles, doves, pheasant, rabbits - ah rabbits, yummm!"

"But I digress Man, so y'know- the rabbits got scared, tried to cross the road, BAM! the berry bushes got plowed under, oak trees felled, pheasant flew off and beetles had nowhere to go."

(Bob start crying  and howling, it's horrible)

Barb-"Bob, let it out baby, let it out." "Man, just think if every 5 years somebody took half of your house, where would you go?"

Me-"I hear you Barb and Bob."

Bob-"So the bird feeder thing, to me, to us... we figured that it was a snack our human neighbors put out for us, and if we got a bird snack to boot that it was a bonus."

Barb-"The thing where our old neighbor, Winnie went in that kitchen in Warminster, they left the door open for her.  Open door policy. Y'know after getting a belly full cheerios, chicken with rice and washing it down with everything in the fridge she was just delirious.  Winnie couldn't find her way out. Look we aren't used to furniture and doors.  It was an accident."

Me-"But Winnie did crash through the screen door"

Bob & Barb-"What's a screen?"

Me-"One of these, it filters the bugs from the air."

Bob & Barb-"I don't see it.  Man, there's nothing there-see it's tricky for us."

Me-"Now I understand-I've walked through a few of these in my life too."

Bob-"Look Man, fair is fair.  They just took our home, stole our food. Not cool."

Barb-"Know what else Man?  They drugged up Winnie and we heard that they just dropped her off in like... Sullivan county!  What if we shot you up with a dart, tossed you in a trailer and you woke up in some strange house hundreds of miles away.  I'm with Bob.  Definitely not cool."

Bob-"So, Man- do you think you can help a bear out?  Get the word out?

Me-"Bob, Barb, thank you for your time, I think I can.  I will get the word out.  Oh, by the way take a parting gift.  Two blocks over my neighbor has bee hives.  You're welcome."

The Answerman says "You don't know joy until you see two bears smile and hear them laugh at the thought of fresh bees and honey.  In addition, we need better regulation.  we need better oversight.  There is over harvesting and over development.  Greed is not good.  Give a bear a chance."