Stop the Habituation and Humanizing of black bears in ELY, MINNESOTA

Dear Mr Landwehr, MN DNR,

We the undersigned believe that the habituating and humanizing of bears in Ely MN is wrongful to bears and humans and should be stopped.

We feel that it is important to show you that there are people who are not in favour of the Research methods and practices and feeding of bears in Ely Minnesota.

We the undersigned feel that the bears are not being researched but exploited and we feel that this is wrong, the bears of Minnesota don’t belong to anyone.

Many states outlaw the feeding of bears.

Our main concern is that we don't want bears to become habituated to humans, and lose their fear of people.

Two bears have been shot in the last few months for being a 'nuisance'. We need to stop the habituation and humanizing of bears before another bear is shot or any harm comes to a human.

Researchers like Herrero say that WHAT ARE THE RISKS TO PEOPLE AND BEARS?
“Human habituated and human food-conditioned bears are more likely to come into conflict with people due to their increased proximity to, and associated lack of wariness around, people. Such bears are therefore at greater risk of removal or being killed as “problem wildlife”. They also have an increased vulnerability to hunters, poachers and to becoming road-kill. (Herrero 1985) “ .

This concerns us a great deal.  It needs to STOP !

Just in the past few months two bears in Ely have been shot, one was a known research bear and one had been collared by the researcher just before its death. Another bear (not collared) was shot in Aug 2011 in Ely because it refused to leave a homeowners porch. One homeowner was slapped in the same year and needed stitches in the same year. Three other bears in Ely over the years have been shot and left with injuries. All this information is available on the internet.

http://www.northlandsnewscenter.com/news/video/Killing-of-Collared-Bear-Brings-Up-Questions-of-Bear-Human-Contact-165208946.html

http://www.northlandoutdoors.com/event/article/id/233535/

http://www.bringmethenews.com/2012/05/23/bear-collared-for-research-shot-and-killed-in-soudan/

http://www.sciencebuzz.org/blog/the_cold_bear_facts_should_a_hibernating_nuisance_bear_be_p

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2010/04/100429-feeding-nuisance-black-bears/

Two bears have been killed so far this hunting season in Eagles nest, Ely MN that were known to the WRI!

Could this be put down to “They also have an increased vulnerability to hunters, poachers and to becoming road-kill. (Herrero 1985) “ because they have become habituated and humanized, food conditioned?

 

Another 2 bears lost their lives in Ely ! One was just a cub ! This has to Stop!