Well, no not exactly. In fact they pose no threat whatsoever; however, a recent vote in congress would make it seem otherwise.
When I was younger, I had this idealistic image of my older self being a savior for animals and a relentless advocate for wildlife welfare. I’m sure many grew up with a similar bleeding heart for animals, but it is a trait that has shaped me into who I am now. Every opportunity I had to reassure myself that I was helping animals was an opportunity I would take. When my cat caught a mouse, I would routinely find some way to organize a proper burial. When my parents would admit to me that the only reason we have cats is to catch mice, I would conclude that there really was no pure goodness in the world (I was a slightly melodramatic child). Just three years ago, I found a baby bunny my cat had gotten to and I spent about an hour forming a comfortable shoe box with plenty of nutritious food so that the bunny could have peaceful last moments. The list of ways in which I have intervened with the circle of life is innumerable and any circumstance in which animal rights were being violated were situations that I saw as a priority.
Nowadays, I am less sensitive to the predator-prey relationship, though I’ll admit I will always close my eyes when Animal Planet comes on. At the same time, I have also become more cognizant of the various predators in our ecosystem. There is no question that the most vicious, unforgiving predators are those currently surrounding me in the Starbucks across from my school: humans. The harmless individual ordering a Unicorn Frapachino at the counter has an ancestry of, to say the least, demonstrative beings. Our species is sometimes willfully oblivious of our footprint on this planet. We regularly consume more from our ecosystem than we give back, and we oftentimes neglect any sort of responsibility we have towards vulnerable species. This perspective I hold was reinforced when I heard that a law passed where shooting hibernating bears has become legal. I reverted to that 6-year-old self who cried when I couldn't understand why my pet cat, Babsy, was so cruel. Now, rather than the cruel animal being Babsy, it is the individuals making choices in government.
The Congressional Report states: “The U.S. House of Representatives overturned a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service rule that stopped a set of appalling and unsporting predator control methods on national wildlife refuges in Alaska. These egregious practices include shooting or trapping wolves while at their dens with cubs, using airplanes to scout for grizzly bears to shoot, trapping bears with cruel steel-jawed leghold traps and wire snares and luring grizzly bears with food to get a point blank kill. Republicans, with only a few dissents, provided the votes for the measure, which passed by a vote of 225 to 193.”
I am well aware that many members of congress vehemently opposed this ruling, and there are plenty of animal-lovers with influential roles in congress. However, the fact of the matter is that this egregious action is now legal. And I believe that it is our responsibility to reverse this ruling just as passionately as I believed it was my obligation to carefully assist a struggling moth out of a web.
Perhaps I am not the “hero for animals” I once believed I would become, but my effort to spread this ruling is something. For all those reading this, I urge you to do something with me. Below is an easy-to-follow action plan that I hope can spread to many people and change the future for Grizzly Bears in our country.
- Be passionate about the issue. Don’t be civil. Don’t bite your tongue. Be mad. Spread awareness on the issue. Take action.
- Educate others. This issue is not at the forefront of the news and while I’m not adamant that it should be, I do believe there should be more awareness about the matter. If you are so inclined, share my article. Tell your friends and family. Make a mural of a bear with hearts all over including the implications of the decision if that’s what drives you.
- Write a letter to the White House! Yes, there’s a chance your letter will never be noticed. In a similar respect, there’s a chance that my application to Boston College may never have been noticed, but I would feel terrible if I never even tried my luck at getting into what I once believed was my dream school. In the same respect, I will feel terrible if I hear news of a hunter killing a bear family and knowing I didn’t do anything to prevent it.
- Sign petitions!
I know we can give this bear family a future, but not without taking action on the issue.
