October 9, 2007
Misidentification of bears perpetuates stereotypes
Using only a few words, you have managed to mislead readers regarding local wildlife. I’m talking about the picture on Page 5 in Friday’s edition of the Kaimin. Whoever wrote the caption below the photo pegged these bears as “brown bears.” Well, these are black bears, species Ursus americanus, but they happen to be brown. In fact, black bears can range from blonde to cinnamon to jet-black. “Brown bears” are species Ursus arctos. The distinction lies in anatomical characteristics, behavior and habitat preferences.
So why is this a big deal? On Sept. 3, a male grizzly bear was shot by a Tennessee hunter who was hoping his quarry to be of the black variety. This man was on a guided hunting trip and was most likely not briefed on how to tell the difference between the two. After all, the last verified Bitterroot grizzly was in 1946. It doesn’t matter though. Locals should be more knowledgeable of regional fauna and their associated behaviors. Grizzly bears have massive home ranges and travel extensively at this time of year in search of food. This bear stands as a symbol of hope in that populations in the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem may again link up with those in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, establishing the connectivity that may be essential to their persistence. Hopefully there are others making the trip, but for now, the only one we know of is dead. It was misidentified just as the black bears in the photo were. That is why it is so important.
The title, “Ferocious but fuzzy,” is also misleading. The word “ferocious” perpetuates our cultural fear and lack of understanding of wild animals. True, bears can be ferocious if pushed, but all they really want is for you to leave them alone. That includes not stirring up unwarranted propaganda that obviously does them no favor. They aren’t fuzzy either. This again displays ignorance of their wild nature. Next time try using “wild and majestic.” Please exercise more caution when reporting on animals such as bears that can so easily stimulate our imaginations and greatest fears. Our words can be so powerful in such a subtle way.
Carson Craig Lindbeck,
junior, ecology and organismal biology
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