Why did the polar bear cross the Brooks Range? Biologists are baffled
Published Friday, March 28, 2008
Biologists don't know why the polar bear that was shot and killed outside the Yukon River village of Fort Yukon on Thursday crossed the Brooks Range into Interior Alaska.
They know only that it is the longest inland movement -- 250 miles -- ever documented by a polar bear in Alaska.
"We haven't seen a bear this far from salt water in the state since I've been here and I don't think there are any records of it preceding that," Scott Schliebe, polar bear project leader for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service in Anchorage, said on Friday. Schliebe has worked for the USFWS since 1979.
The previous record for inland travel by a polar bear came in October 2002, when a polar bear was spotted along the Dalton Highway about 125 miles from the Beaufort Sea. That bear, which was seen feeding on caribou gut piles left by hunters, eventually headed back the way it came.
There have been other reports of polar bears traveling 60 to 70 miles inland, state wildlife biologist Dick Shideler said. In January, a polar bear was shot and killed in the northwest Alaska village of Noorvik, which is 45 miles east of Kotzebue, after it was spotted getting into trash.
Steve Amstrup, senior polar bear researcher for the U.S. Geological Survey, said a polar bear showing up in Fort Yukon, which is 250 miles from the coast, is "highly unusual."
"I think the timing of it being that far south is interesting," Amstrup said. "This is the time of year polar bears are on the sea ice foraging.
"Typically when we've seen bears on land is in the summertime," he said, when the sea ice melts and leaves some bears stranded on land.
Just exactly where the bear, a young female, came from and why it traveled as far inland as it did is a mystery.
"We'll never really know which direction that bear was coming from," Schliebe said. "We don't know if it moved from north to south or west to east or east to west."
There is even still some question -- albeit very little -- whether or not the bear is actually a polar bear or a hybrid grizzly/polar bear.
After getting a quick look at the bear's hide and skull on Friday, Shideler, who studies grizzly bears on the North Slope for the Alaska Department of Fish and Game in Fairbanks, said "it's a very high probability that it's a polar bear."
"The shape of the pads, the thick hair, the claw shape ... everything was polar bear," Shideler said. "Short of getting a chance to get in and look at the cheek teeth (molars), it'd be hard for me to believe anything else but that."
The hide and skull of the bear was turned over to agents with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on Friday, who are investigating the shooting to determine whether it was a justified defense of life and property shooting.
The bear was shot by 30-year-old hunter Zeb Cadzow of Fort Yukon on Thursday about three miles from the village after he and another hunter, Paul Herbert, tracked what they thought was a grizzly bear to an island on the Porcupine River.
The bear charged Cadzow after he went into the brush to track it while Herbert waited at the other end of the island. The encounter happened so quickly that Cadzow, who was armed with an AR-15 assault rifle, didn¹t have time to aim before shooting.
"I shot from the hip, seven or eight times," Cadzow said. "If I had gotten it to my shoulder, (the bear) would have been on top of me."
The bear went down about 10 feet in front of him, Cadzow said.
While the Marine Mammal Protection Act allows Native hunters in coastal villages with a tradition of hunting polar bears to legally shoot the animals for subsistence, Fort Yukon is not a coastal village and the shooting must be a defense of life or property killing to be legal, Steve Oberholtzer, assistant special agent in charge for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's law enforcement division in Alaska.
"We are looking into the matter" is all Oberholtzer would say concerning the case on Friday. "There's quite a few things to sort out."
The Fish and Wildlife Service will take DNA samples to confirm whether or not it really is a polar bear, he said. A tooth will also be extracted to determine the age of the bear.
Shideler estimated the bear to be a 3-year-old female and said it didn't appear to be starving based on his conversation with Cadzow and Herbert, the latter of whom said there was about an inch of fat on the bear's rump.
Comments
To get to the other side:)
mmmmmm....Polar Bear Fat!
:P
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I think it was a fish and game project gone wrong
For all those interested there is a great post war on this very same issue going on for another article "Polar Bear Killed at Fort Yukon".
http://www.newsminer.com/news/2008/mar/2...
From the information provided so far it seems that Mr. Cadzow and Mr. Herbert should be prosecuted. Plain and simple here is the situation:
1. The bear came into Fort Yukon and was eating Lynx carcasses left outside of a cabin. This classifies as an ‘attractive nuisance.’
2. Mr. Cadzow and Mr. Herbert joined a HUNTING PARTY which went out to shoot and kill the bear. They willing put themselves in this situation, and tracked the bear 3 miles out of town. At this distance the bear was not an immediate threat to the people of the town.
3. The bear was ALLEGEDLY charging Mr. Cadzow when he shot it (I am willing to take his word for it). This may have been a DLP shooting, but ultimately they were out to kill the bear originally anyway.
Chances are this prosecution will not go through for other reasons, but it would be an interesting precedent!
no collar, but I think it was being chased by a quazi-mechanical smoke monster. And for all we know it could have actuall come north from a mystical tropical island somewhere in the south Pacific. And maybe, just maybe Mr. Cadzow goes by the alias "Sawyer"!
(I Like the LOST reference)
They absolutely should not prosecute these men!! They were protecting the whole village, and they did what they had to do. This was not a "hunting party" in the sense of moose camp. This was a village wide effort to protect humans. I work with natives from many villages and in asking around, they are ALL in favor of what happened in Fort Yukon. You notice in the article that one was also KILLED in Noorvik. It would be the exact same story from ANY village!! Fortunately this one turned out that human life or risk of serious injury was averted.
u should be ashamed of your self zeb cadzow and u too mr.herbert.. u should of let the bear go.. u followed it to get attacked thats what u did!!what a discrace to all animals and human beings
A hungry spring bear anywhere near a community where children are walking to school in the morning must be addressed. For the safety of everyone living in the area action must be taken, otherwise it would not be safe to walk out your door! Bears on a mission do not scare easily, if they do scare off it is only a matter of time until they return for what they are after. Especially polar bears which are known to stalk humans, as do grizzly. People who do not live with that kind of threat should not pass judgment on those who do.
kapor....just about anyone living in Alaska is subject to the presence of bears. Heck, I had a black bear go through my yard a few years ago and all it did was trot along its merry way. No threat, no rush to attack. Last spring we had grizzlies just 20 miles north of town. Of the 10 that were killed none were in the process of attacking anyone or even menacing them.
The assumption seems to be that if there is a bear it is going to automatically turn into some sort of ravenous monster and thrash out at anyone nearby when, actually, if you look at the stats more people are injured by moose in Alaska each year than bears. Does this mean we should now consider any moose within sight a dangerous creature about to attack the nearest available human? After all, they can be very aggressive, especially when accompanied by a calf, and can cover a considerable distance very quickly.
Or we could carry this a bit further... More people are killed by drunk drivers in Alaska each year than by moose, bears, or any other combination of wildlife in the state. Perhaps, following your thread of thought and YJ's (who is always ready to kill anything, it seems) we should station people outside bars, liquor stores, restaurants, etc. Anyone exiting who shows the slightest sign of intoxication should be killed on the spot lest they get behind their steering wheel and add to the growing statistics of deaths from DUI's.
Cheeesh....I have never seen a bunch of Chicken Littles like the ones in this group who hear "bear" and immediately come up with 15 reasons why it should be blasted out of existence!
The bear had its chance to come into contact with people and instead it chose to chew on some lynx. It then left, had to be tracked for 3 miles, and it wasn't until it was surprised in the bush that it actually charged. That would be the equivalent of me chasing after a cow moose with its calf until I finally crowd them to the point where the mother comes over and tries to dance a fandango on my pate. I guess I could then shoot it and come running back to be cheered by the saved villagers as having dispatched the vicious creature.
Maybe if there wasn't a reason, such as carcasses laying about, for the bear to have been around there in the first place it wouldn't have wound up being shot. After all, it had to travel past Wiseman, Coldfoot and many other habitations before it got clear down to Ft. Yukon and nary a one of them reported any problems with it.
Yukonjohn,
I must respectfully disagree. In another post on this same issue (different article) I gave a bit more rationale for such. My point on this is two-fold:
Firstly, it was the actions of one (or many) people which brought this bear to the village. Obviously the bear did not travel over the Brooks for a few lynx carcasses, but it came INTO the village for an easy meal. If the carcasses had not been left where the bear could get to them, or if they had been deposited away from the village, the bear may have simply passed the village by or come and gone. My point is the people habituated the bear. The people created an 'attractive nuisance' which ultimately made the killing illegal.
Secondly, the bear may not have even been habituated. Many times, (maybe not the most common, but sometimes), bears will grab a meal of opportunity and not return. At the time the bear was killed it was 3 mile away from the village. At this time the bear was not an IMMEDIATE threat to the village. I recognize that polar bears are know to be much more aggressive and a higher danger to humans, but the bear was still 3 miles away. I recognize and even whole-heartedly agree with killing aggressive/habituated/nuisance bears. My point was that by having to track the bear 3 miles out of town it was not a danger AT THAT TIME. It may have been eventually, but not then. It was for this reason that by 'letter of the law' what these men did was illegal.
It's very sad that the bear had to be killed. I don't live in the bush but I can understand the need for safety, and the need to keep dangerous predators away. I must agree with Yukon on this one. Here, perhaps is yet another example of the problems we face because of global warming. Here is yet another example of why we should keep the corporations away from ANWR. Polar bears are precious. But so is human life. Our state continues to balance on a knife edge. Corporate greed and reckless development are on one side. Ecological responsibility and tourism define the other. I don't believe this is the last wayward polar bear we'll see. It would be in everyone's best interest to come up with a plan that maintains the safety of bush villages with the need to protect these wonderful animals.
dobieman,
I sincerely appreciate your passion. Bye the bye, I do believe that that is exactly what the troopers have been trying to get permission to do to potential DUI violators.. shoot 'em first!
Realistically though, I do empathize with communities such as Ft. Yukon. Having spent a bit of time in the bush myself I recognize the POTENTIAL threat of a habituated or food conditioned bear. I do believe that it is occasionally or often necessary to kill a bear for the sole purpose of personal protection. Often the animal is dispatched because it COULD pose a threat, (better safe than sorry). It just so happens that, (in my probably less than humble opinion), this was not one of those instances.
We are a great people in this state, both native and non-native. It makes me happy that we have indivduals who can understand the correct reasoning as to why a bear of any species needs to be dealt with in some fashion when its close unpredictable presence brings fear and anxiety to those around it.
When you live in a isolated location like fort yukon the resources available for dealing with situations that need immediate attention are limited to what the locals are able to muster together.
For anyone to think that all this bunny loving, tree huggin, boloney needs to be considered in advanve when the safety of the community and especially the children are possible threatened needs to really look deep inside themselves and understand why things are done the way they are done in this state.
I would like to invite those of you who have a negative understanding of this incident to visit the subsistance people and lands they live in and see how they live, I honestly think you would change your understanding.
I apologize for my typo.
AKFshrmn, I must say thank you for your civility. Secondly, we still disagree, and I still feel that I have the same opinion as many native and non-native people that live in the bush. I only live there for almost half the year, but I have been doing so for over 20 years, and have many native and non-native friends in many villages in the interior. I think they everyone, to the last person, would see this exactly as I do. While we disagree, again, thank you for your civility.
Yukonjohn, likewise! I appreciate your position, (as with most of the others'), and to a certain point I am compelled to agree with you. I do not lament the loss of the bear, nor do I feel these men were inherently wrong. I am afraid that in my book these poor men, (for being under so much scrutiny), have found themselves in a bit of a jaded and gray area of my rationale. Unfortunately I have seen so many times before from those in the bush, or those from the suburbs claim DLP in an unjust manner (hence I am now jaded). I am not accusing these men of being unjust or poor stewards, merely I find it necessary to examine these situations to better define the black and the white area in ones own morals. For me this hits very close to home, having spent a great bit time in the bush as well. And honestly I applaud them and their supporters, yourself included, for standing up for what you truly believe to be right and just
I look forward to the possibility of butting heads, or allying, with you in the future.
This event will likely become common as time goes by, and no one should be surprised by it least of all scientists and law enforcement from government agencies. They are suppose to be there to manage these animals, yet they sit back and guess what may be going on, and send law enforcement to do thieir work of wildlife management. And they never say a thing as we fight with one another. There should be a policy in place to hold the government accountable for mismanagement of polar bears and all animals under their jurisdiction, as they exist today, and not rely on fourty year old wildlife science and management techniques.
This young animal was lost and in the Native Knowledge from our area, lost its respect for humans, can hardly blame the animal, but scientifically speaking it was lost from its normal way that its mother was accustomed to, so she adapted to what is there today for their food and shelter. An elder here said it likely followed animals across the Crow Flats. And this bear was just a example of what is coming, from what little I know studying western science and traditional knowledge for 52 years. It is sad because I understand and have been taught by Native Elders, I know what it is to protect your children, your village, your way of life, and the animals you hunt, so this is much more than just a legal case against two hunters following their tradition, and it is not my place to judge them, or those who judge them. It is really a case against government for failing to manage wildlife on federal public lands, and for failing to protect Native Americans rights and their fiduciary duty under the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act Title VIII along with the extinguishment of Native American rights extinguished by the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act.
As for the prophecy of these things coming, yes it has been in our Native American knowledge base and for thousands of years, and it will continue to happen as I have been told. As a western scientist it makes sense also, but western scientific arguements are weak to say the least, but it is the best we have when it is current. It would be my guess, that the government is accountable for all of this, including as they sit there and laugh, and let Native Americans and non-Natives fight with each other, fueled by animal rights organizations and sport hunters playing each of us against the other for personal gain. But those are just my humble thoughts, thanks.
Hey AKFshrmn, I am sure we see "eye to eye" on many issues. You must like fishing, so we surely have that in common. About 20 miles up the Porcupine River, there is some of the best fishing in the world. Great Pike and, if you are in the exact place and time, some of the best sheefishing there is to be had. I also have a really good friend in Central (white guy) that was with me all those years at the Fort, and I am a little surprised he hasnt weighed in on this issue. Anyway, I will look forward to debate with you, but I think we probably see alot alike on many issues. Have a good one!
Yukonjohn, I agree. and true I am actually a bit of a fishing fanatic, sport of commercial. Its been a bit of a way of life. Have a good one as well.
Humanbeing, I appreciate your support for traditional ecological knowledge, and the application to this particular case. I however must disagree on the idea of the government is responsible for a polar bear arriving in Ft. Yukon. I would agree that our wildlife is not perfectly managed, and in many cases it is poorly managed. The problem is that it is wildlife. It reminds me of the of former Governor Hickel's famous quote "you can't just let nature run wild." I am sure you see the irony in this statement. Do to the unpredictability of wild populations, and the myriad of factors which go into managing an ecosystem for a (generally one specific), population, I think the term "wildlife management" in and of itself is a bit of an oxymoron.
I truly do not believe that the government is trying to pit Natives against non-Natives. I do however likely share much of the same disdain for so called 'animal rights groups'.
If I may inquire, what did you mean by "failing to protect Native Americans rights and their fiduciary duty under the ANCSA Title VIII along with the extinguishment of Native American rights extinguished by the ANSCA"? I do not mean to start an entirely new argument, but I would appreciate some expansion on this statement if you would do me the honor.
I just want to say thanks for all of the thoughtful responses I've seen on this issue since early this morning, in the original article and in this one. This singular incident gives everyone a lot to think about on such a wide array of issues and it's provided me with so much insight into "Alaska" and "Alaskans" - and I mean that as a compliment. It's really fascinating to watch how differently the concept of "statehood" factors into personal identity here as opposed to elsewhere in the country. Life really is different here - I'm thinking about POLAR BEARS for goodness sakes. I'm grateful for access to so many perspectives. Thanks again.
dobieman,
Thanks again for saying what needs to be said. I also think that there is an assumption that any bear is a dangerous bear. All of my experiences tell me otherwise. Most times, bears turn into dangerous bears because of irresponsible actions by humans--leaving out the garbage or animal carcasses, not keeping a clean camp, etc.
i was born & raised in alaska & i will die here. this state once stood for greatness ,I'm only 25yrs old & am very pissed off that you people would say that , i hunt,i fish, I trap & i'm an ALASKAN. you people are NOT! how many of you have had a bear charge you!!!!! I have & it shows that you have not been in that place before. so go ahead & spout off about stuff you have no idea or place to be judging about,i guess the wolves eating the dogs this winter was the dogs falt?the only good bear is a dead one>oh yeah about the comment about the bear being baited-do you have a garden?yes?no?well if a moose comes into your /anyones garden then thats baiting to.
moose_killer,
As I've pointed out to others, you should not make too many assumptions about people. I've been charged by grizzlies and have had a tent torn up by a black bear. Just because someone doesn't agree with you doesn't mean they don't live in the state. I didn't realize everyone needs to think alike to be an Alaskan citizen.
FAIRBANKS, Alaska - Hikers in the Chena River State Recreation Area east of Fairbanks have been bumping into a loose llama and authorities are trying to figure out where it belongs. what happened to the poor lil llama when the news miner reported this? It was found dead the next day
it was a alpaca not a llama.
So what does an alpaca (and llama) taste like?
I live in Kansas, so I know any comment I make is going to open up a new can of worms. It's pretty easy to be an arm chair quarterback. Just watch the play and then discribe your perfect play that has got to be better than the pro's way of doing things. I don't claim to have any knowledge of bears, but I will protect my family with my life, if necessary. There's an old song called, Walk A Mile In My Shoes. Seems to me,(if you will allow me) like the folks in the Yukon village know more on how to protect their families, especially their children, than anyone living any where else. Give em a break. They did what their Fathers taught them. Thanks for letting a flatlander join in.
It's really too bad the bear got killed. But for a better world, we should all just shut up, the Feds should go home, and then we'll all let the good people of Fort Yuck decide whether Cadzow and Herbert did the right thing or not.
So I quit reading the comments a while ago becuase I have my own opinion on all of this and nothing that I'm going to read is going to change that so this may have already been addressed and if so, my apoligies for wasting everyone's time but... Everyone keeps saying that if the lynx carcasses hadn't been there in the first place the bear would have kept strolling so therefore, some trapper in Ft. Yukon created the nuisance. It's March, most of the hibernating bears do not come out this early, no one could have expected a polar bear so isn't that like saying you need to plug your car in when it's 45 (above) just in case it gets cold? This "nuisance" under normal circumstances, wasn't and wouldn't have been until the hibernating bears start coming out and I don't know about in Ft. Yukon but I do know that closer to the intereior that's not for a few more weeks. So how could he know that he was creating a "nuisance" when for all of his life and most likely his father's life and his father's before him, there had never been a problem with leaving a carcass out in March?
Alpaca taste like chicken. LOL
One more thing if I may. Just wanted to say Hi to Jeri Beth there in Fairbanks.
Nothing but poachers hiding behind their "tradition"...
Seems everything can be justified given the right circumstances and story twists. Not that I'm assuming this story to be twisted. I will give these guys the benefit of the doubt I suppose. I am just asking, if defense of life and property is the crutch, why do I see so many people out on the rivers every season without PFD's. Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't drowning the leading cause of death in the outdoors in rural Alaska. I'm sorry but it just doesen't add up. It is really too bad. They were probably being hailed as heroes last night in the Fort.
KSFLATLANDER, how about them J-Hawks?? I am a Tarheel born and bred, but havent lived there in decades, but we are headed to the National Championship! I think you have a lot more insight than many people that live here do. The good folks at the Fort above 66 (it is just over the Arctic Circle at 66 degrees of latitude) know how to take care of their own village. They need NO HELP from urban folks telling them how to do that. I think we all have opinions, but we should NEVER criticize them for how they live their life up there. I know many of them and they are great folks...no matter what anyone might have heard otherwise. I spent almost half a year for ten years there and I loved it!!!
Jeez folks, keep your comments brief.
It seems likely this bear passed near numerous settlements on it's trek across the North Slope and Brooks Range. One of the most surprising things about this story is that it wasn't shot long before getting to Fort Yukon. Oh and I think these villagers were trigger happy.
Note, must get charged by a bear to be a True Alaskan.
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skinfish, in an earlier article, a native said he had heard an elder say that the bear had most likely come across the Crow Flats. That would put it coming in from the Canadian Arctic and down the Porcupine River. If that is in fact what happened, he could have only passed the village of Old Crow, and I know for a fact, if the villagers in Old Crow had seen it, they would have done the same thing!!
Yukonjohn, Right back at ya. I lived in Fairbanks a few years back. Still got friends there. Keep on keepin on.
My support is for the Village of Fort Yukon, they know what to do. Polar bears are far more aggressive than other bears by nature. Who knows why it came that far. Perhaps things are changing so much for the bears that this is what they do, adapt. 3 miles is very little distance for a bear of any type, effortless. The bear was essentially still in the village. This was a substantial risk to people there. What were they to do? They could only act or react to this threat. They are not fools, they acted.
As we all know its customary and traditional to harvest bears for food so there is no issue about the legal or right to harvest this bear. Its food for many of us who live a subsistance lifestyle, as for the bear getting into lynx carcasses at a cabin in the village. Its customary and traditional to save all our carcasses from trapping for dog food. what we must remenber that what was thought was a gizzly bear in and around a village in the spring presents a threat to the community and children especially, its only to bad this wandering poplar bear was'nt radio collared to study its habits.
Alaska hunting? ;)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XE5pGeCUM...
GLOBAL WARMING! Sea ice is reducing!
Why?...TO play with dogs of course.
See this and tell me that all polar bears are ravenous killers.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JE-Nyt4Bm...
They were HUNTING this bear. This bear was NOT starving, it was eating a lynx left outside of a cabin. They stalked this bear outside of the village and it finally turned and charged.
I think since it was NOT bothering the people, they should have called F&G to have it trapped and moved, without killing it. This was all uncalled for. I think they need punished.
This summer a bear will be killed everyday of the week across Alaska. Whether you agree or not is how you were raised. If this bear was a black bear or grizzly, no one would have even known about it. However, due to the unusal circumstances, and communication through the internet more people learned about it. Please do not judge these two people. They were raised in the woods, not even in a small village, they were raised by their families out in the woods. They have a different perspective about life then your own. Do not judge them because they do not see things the way you see it. This is a good example of people judging and jumping to conclusions based on their own point of view. People do not all see things the same way we are all different, brought up differently and in different environments. Try to see and respect a different perspective then your own.
Cadzow's attorney called him yesterday. he was filling a lawsuit , because the the state didn't warm him that he could be in danger and charged by out of range polars bears. he is claiming the enclosure wall wasn't up to the proper height to contain the polar bears.
Good job to the Ft. Yukon boys. I'd have done the same thing. ANY bears or wolves that come into my village will be KILLED. I've done it before and I'll do it again. Thats the policy when you live in the vill. You folks need to back off, they were just doing their jobs as native hunters. We've all been trained to do just as those guys did. They will never be convicted.
I'M MORE AFRAID OF HUMANS THAN ANY BEAR. ESPECIALLY TRIGGER HAPPY ALASKANS! I HOPE WE KILL EVERY ANIMAL IN THIS STATE, SO WE CAN START SHOOTING EACHOTHER FOR FOOD!
My knowledge on the subject is 35-40 years old. But back then, the Alaska wildlife class I took taught me that those cute fluffy white bears are a wee bit different than most any other critter around by being the only one that will actively hunt humans. Near a village where the lifestyle involves so many people going out more than three miles, and often on foot. Hmm. Perhaps some of those villagers are like me and haven't gained the modern knowledge that polar bears are just cuddly teddy bears.
Anti_baby_prospector,
Cadzow needs some ammo to keep up his quota, can you chip in a few bucks?
moose_killer_ak83, To answer your question, no. If a moose was eating my garden, even in the middle of moose season, I would not shoot it. This is soley on the basis that it would be illegal to do so. This is because I would have created an 'attractive nuisance'. Also I do not agree that being charged by a bear is a requirement to be an Alaskan. Timothy Treadwell was EATEN by a bear, and he was not remotely what I would consider to be "Alaskan."
Made_In_Alaska, That is a very valid point about the time of year. As bears would conceivably still be hibernating at this time, there would be no real expectation of creating an 'attractive nuisance'. I do not begrudge the men killing the bear on the basis of DLP, or attempting to protect their families. It is merely that the totality of the circumstances surrounding the shooting make me a bit uneasy about their claim.
(So what does an alpaca (and llama) taste like?) To me, the taste is a little between bald eagle and snail darter.
With tongue firmly in cheek, Goat suggested that flouride is the cause of the bear showing up in the interior. I'm suprised that some of the whiner types haven't blamed George Bush for killing it. They blame everything else on him...power outages, hurricanes, too much rain, not enough rain, forest fires etc.
I also think Made_In_Alaska makes a valid point that since bears in the Yukon Flats are still hibernating, there is no expectation that these people created an attractive nuisance for a grizzly, much less a polar bear to find.
Jer, In all reality you are completely correct. These men will never be prosecuted, and quite possibly all for the better. The State of Alaska (legal system), has made the precedent that rural village residents will not be prosecuted for hunting violations. I do not claim this is right or wrong, it is merely a regularity.
So for those that think that the bear should have been trapped and relocated, let me see if I follow. You say, let the bear be until someone from F&G can get to the village of Ft. Yukon, so there's a day, maybe two. It's not like you can drive so you have the expense of a helicopter/plane and of course the manpower and the equipment. Then you have the time of finding the bear (which by this time it won't be hard as she will be destroying the village, eating the dogfood/dogs, whatever) Than you have the effort of knocking the bear out, getting it loaded in the plane/helicopter and relocating it to somewhere else. Hmmm, at whose expense? Seems to me that those folks shouting about how the bear was stalked/hunted/killed have a lot of money to spare, how bout throwing some of that back at the environment to figure out why she left her natural hunting grounds in the first place?
I also think Made_In_Alaska makes a valid point that since bears in the Yukon Flats are still hibernating, there is no expectation that these people created an attractive nuisance for a grizzly, much less a polar bear to find.
skinfish, regarding your 3/29/2008, 9:23 a.m. post: "It seems likely this bear passed near numerous settlements on it's trek across the North Slope and Brooks Range. One of the most surprising things about this story is that it wasn't shot long before getting to Fort Yukon. Oh and I think these villagers were trigger happy."
Yes, the polar bear likely did pass numerous settlements, but at what distance? Have you been up to the Yukon Flats or further north? You could march the entire Chinese army from the north slope down through that area without being seen by anyone else before reaching FYU. As for these men being trigger happy- they're happy the trigger was pulled & live to tell the tale.
My bad for repeating the 1st paragraph.
I WILL BE HAPPY WHEN THERE ARE NO MORE ANIMALS EXCEPT HUMANS IN ALASKA! I HATE ALL BEARS, LYNX, WOLVERINES, WOLVES, MOOSE, CARIBOU, BIRDS OF PREY, HARES, AND ANYTHING ELSE THAT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE A HUMAN. HOWEVER I LOVE HUMANS THEY ARE SO INTELLIGENT, I NEVER SEE THEM THOUGH THERE ARE TO MANY OTHER ANIMALS IN ALASKA. PLEASE HELP I JUST WANT TO SEE HUMANS FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE, NO MORE WILD ANIMALS!
I think more effort should be focused on what would cause this bear to travel so far south rather than justifying the shooting of it. It's dead..get over it, but can we expect more of this in the future? The world is changing all around us and yet it seems to me most people are oblivious to this fact. It seems there is now unequivocal evidence that behavior in polar bears is evolving due to environmental changes. What is unfolding in front of our own very eyes is evalution. These bears are adapting to a new world and I think that we will see a growing trend of this exact behavior in the next 50 years.
Wow ... I have spent most of my morning, took a break for lunch and then kept on reading about this incident. There is nothing more disgusting than people with an opinion so caustic that they might as well have been the one to pull the trigger. Clearly this subject is close to many a heart who have posted and certainly everyone has a right to their opinion, ergo, freedom of speech. My opinion is: An unfortunate chain of events preceding this created a situation for the polar bear that neither man or nature could have avoided. It will not certainly be the last we'll ever hear of something like this ... rest assured. Energies wasted, I think not, it just proves to show that Alaskans (and Non-residents) will be heard and it just depends on the level of passion that one chooses to get involved.
Hey Yukon John, Dont tell me they were protecting the whole village from 1 bear man. They were going to kill it no matter what. I think they should be prosecuted, its a federal crime !!!! They might as well be cooking Meth.
Hey Freezeskier, Your absolutely right .. there will be alot more of this in the near future...
Hey Yukon John, Dont tell me they were protecting the whole village from 1 bear man.
This really does not warrant a response, but yes, they were protecting the whole village from one bear man. Enough said.
These men are consciously undergoing all of your repercussions. I feel for them, because I to, believe that children were at risk. The polar bear that was left alone was left alone because it was so far away from town, I assume. The caribou gut piles, were from a freshly killed caribou, and could possibly have been from hunters hunting a good distance from their village or township. This polar bear killed in Fort Yukon was killed three miles away from town. That is not very far, I've known some young children capable of driving a snowmachine (with deft accuracy I must say :D) and roaming that far away from town. True, they are usually always with an adult, but it is scary to think... Once evident that the polar bear found easy food, no matter if it was the fault of an unsuspecting trapper (whom I'm sure was not trying to attract predators for hunting... and I'm sure because my father was an honorable trapper... and it was so close to town), it was possible that the polar bear might return for other easy food. The town smells of human, dog, cooking, and garbage scents. The garbage is often moved to large barrels for burning, then moved to the town dump. Much of the cooking for the dogs is done outside in a firepit, for it takes a good deal of time to prepare food for dogs, and their is never enough room to do so inside, since there is often large families to cook for as well. The village might have been seen as enticing to an animal that people of knowledge admit is known to be very aggressive, and to even have eaten a human. These villagers think on how, while walking or driving down a dirt road, they'd laugh as the children they love and know, play in the snow and run heedlessly into brush under the euphoria of childhood games. Three miles away... three miles. It is fear for our loved ones that killed this ignorant bear. Not need for stature and glorification, for as many subsistence hunters know, there is no such thing with killing an animal. There is gratification, for sure, because it is food, and enough food for many. I am sure that the people have said thanks for such a gift. A polar bear is an honored animal, yet it is aggressive, and it will fight for its life, as well as for its food. Much of this comment is being repeated from my other comment left on the other article covering this phenomenon. Once again, I thank those who read it, and I thank those who understand, or attempt to understand where I'm coming from. I'm becoming a mother, and to think... what if I lived in this village, and my child ran outside...?
Its still a federal crime man! And wasn't it 3 miles from the village?Dont tell me they were protecting the whole village, People have been there for a long time thier not fearful of animals. Enough said!
I'm from a village. I can walk up to a bear and pet it. I sing with the birds.
It's not a zoo, and I'm not Pocahontas. I am afraid of wild animals. And there is no way I can protect myself if I walk up to an aggressive bear. By accident! (I heard you thinking.) Sure, there are many wives tales remedying the issue (ever hear of flashing a bear?) but if it chose to charge, I cannot run fast enough, I cannot shoot a gun, and god forbid, if it was my child, instead of me.
I'm not sure if its a federal offense, but I believe these men, if charged, might make it out with a not guilty.
I see how you think of it in a humane way.
I think of it in that way also, as well as a Human way.
I'd vote not guilty.
I was thinking of something. What if he was simply tracking the animal, not hunting it? What if he were making sure the bear left town, and the village would not need to be in fear? So this man is tracking the bear, armed of course, he'd be insane if he wasn't, and he tracks the bear a little too quickly? Or the bear is too slow. He unknowingly walks into the clearing, the bear attacks, and he must shoot it. He was not prepared to shoot the animal, it says so in writing. He shot from the hip, and saved his own life.
If Cadzow didn't kill the bear some Make a Wish Foundation recipant would have or some guy from the lower 48 who lives in an electronically secure house who is a weekend warrior that paid a guide to track and locate the bear for him. While the bear is being track the guy from the lower 48 will be sitting in his Cabela garb talking on his satelite phone complaining about how cold he is. To bad Cadzow couldn't keep the hide and meat.
Mr Mr. Cadzow and his pal need to be prosecuted like the guy that popped the mama brown bear on the Kenai a couple of years back. The Kenai guy also felt threatened and used an assault rifle to defend himself. Chasing an animal three miles from your home to kill it is poaching. I pack a gun for bear protection but have never lost my nerve and used it. There are too many animal killing guys in AK that just want to shoot something and claim self-defense. Time for the authorities to set some examples. The guys in the bush should live by the same laws as there buddies in Anchorage. If Mr. Cadzow gets off what say we take up donations to get him a bigger caliber so he can kill his next menacing animal with one shot.
This is to all those who think that Cadzow and Herbert should be prosecuted. Put yourself in a situation to where your life is on the line. I would've shot 10 times! There are children who frequently explore the woods and the area outside of the village learning their native survival skills. Many of these children could easily have been this bears victim. And that HUNTING PARTY was to insure the safety of the community. Anytime that there is a possible dangerous animal it must have serious actions taken to protect the community. If this were a grizzly bear or even a black bear this is considered a dangerous animal and are know to attack people in the spring because they are hungry. They did not knowingly track down a polar bear. Who the heck thinks a polar bear would be this far in the interior. There had never been one in this area so therefore it is of no fault of Cadzow or Herbert. They are well respected individuals in the community and I am sure that if this were a grizzly bear there would no article to comment on the situation.
fyuakmom with your logic all dangerous animals should be killed on sight. Why don't you move to LA or Dallas, you'd be safe there.
All of these caustic remarks are disturbing. Everyone is simply expressing an opinion. We are not the judge or the jury, so what's the point of insulting, name calling, and (once more) telling people to leave the state?
akjblizzard...Hey put something dangerous in front of me that is threatening my life. You best bet I will do my best to eliminate it! Hey I am sure there are alot of you who would rather become polar bear poop instead of defending yourself but everyone reacts differently to the situation.
The one good thing to living in the village...folks that feel like some on here are not there!! They will never go and live in the village, they would think it was MUCH too primative!! So be it, stay in the urban areas, and leave the people in the bush alone. They live in a different world than the people in the cities! (and I am sure they are thankful for that)
So far everybody has missed out on answering the question in the headline that has left biologists baffled- "Why did the polar bear cross the Brooks Range?"
To get to the other side.
DUHHH... LOL
that was my first post lmao
Now I know how the Native Americans felt at Wounded Knee. I see no difference in a Federal Law Enforcement officer or State Wildlife Trooper that is suppose to comfort us, when things like this continue to happen they don't understand, but as Native Americans living in fear in rural Alaska it is the same feeling as in the past. The hatred from commnunities and people we do not even know or care about, transferred now through our own law enforcement and so many laws we don't even know where we fit in our worlds out here anymore. Some of us who still live here in the villages were taught the same as those who saw the blood run red at Wounded Knee, and yet no lessons have been learned from those deaths by the oppressors. Greed and hatred still rule and it is plain to see, but it is nice in one or two of the comments by some people still reaching out to help, like the law makers from long ago, trying to do what is right by those of us Native Americans out here in the bush.
Climate change has come to our villages and this is just one case, how many more times will we be victims out here, we did not invite the changes or the relocation of our villages. And it does not take a nuclear scientist to figure it out, it did happen and it is now the new form of evolution enhanced by all of us, all humans are doing it, and we are all guilty. If the biologists want to know why, maybe they should start listening more closely to the Native Americans who still have knowledge to share with them, rather than being the all knowing, and sending others to do their dirty work. And my thanks to the mothers who spoke out to defend us out here in our villages, and those new mothers with such kindness, we will need you and the hope your children bring as time goes by. Thanks
This polar bear may have been the bear that was destined to save the species by thinking outside the box. With the ice pack melting and the food source growing smaller perhaps this bear was the chosen one to look abroad for a new habitat. One only needs to go back into history and see where many species have migrated out of their once safety zones to find greener pastures else where. I have to agree with all the peeps that commented that this particular bear was found to be guilty of charges that were only of speculative nature and not backed up with actual facts that got it killed by the lynch mob mentality. We could justify killing everything by using their logic. Example; Hey did you hear about that ole boy that came from the bad side of Chicago you know the guy who had a few members in his family that was connected to the mob back in the 50's. Ya well seems he thought he could move on up here and set up house in the back forty of Alaska. Well guess what we took care of him, his kind will think twice before trying to settle here. Guilty because of a namesake hung before being found guilty of a crime. The mind set kill them all and let God sort out the innocent kinda sounds familiar here.
THE DAY BEFORE THE POLAR BEAR WAS SHOT THERE WAS A KIDS (6-12) 3 MILE DOG RACE. WHAT IF ONE OF THOSE KIDS RAN INTO THAT POLAR BEAR THEN WHAT? THANK YOU AGAIN CADZOW FOR PUTTING YOUR OWN LIFE AT RISK!
JMAX Almost everything is a federal crime. Nobody can live anymore without the fear of government prosecuting them. We need to get back to the Constitution.
What a bounch of FOOIEEEE..you gotta do what you think is right at the time.. But What About The Three S,s.. shoot, shovel, and SHUTUP
opps,, i mean bunch of fooieee
omg i think it wanted to get away from the melting sea ice
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