Those are excellent points Prodigal. Agreed. That said, confinement of animals, particularly apex predators always makes me sad.
Ever watch TV reality series Alone? Not my thing but popular with many. I have trouble tolerating all the bull-shit about how dangerous these bears are at the beginning of the show. (I have canoed, hiked and fly fished in Chilko Lake and River.)
Listen up folks! Driving to Chilko Lake is more dangerous than being in bear territory. Sitting long hours in front of the television is far, far more dangerous. Your fellow citizens are far more dangerous than the bears!
I think I've mentioned before in this thread that I'm old enough to have been in Yellowstone before they desocialized the bears. I'm so glad they changed the old ways, but I'm even more glad I got there before they did. The tunnel tree and firefall in Yosemite fall into the same category.
As zoos go San Diego is one of the better ones. Roomy enclosures and no popcorn. Any time I see a wild animal out of the wild part of me wants to put him right back, but I think zoos can serve useful purposes. Especially for those who can't get out into nature. A lot of zoos though are nothing but sad and miserable.
I went to a zoo once and there was just one animal and it was a dog. It was a Shih Tzu.
Those are excellent points Prodigal. Agreed. That said, confinement of animals, particularly apex predators always makes me sad.
Ever watch TV reality series Alone? Not my thing but popular with many. I have trouble tolerating all the bull-shit about how dangerous these bears are at the beginning of the show. (I have canoed, hiked and fly fished in Chilko Lake and River.)
Listen up folks! Driving to Chilko Lake is more dangerous than being in bear territory. Sitting long hours in front of the television is far, far more dangerous. Your fellow citizens are far more dangerous than the bears!
Funny how we all react differently. I would have felt sad and miserable.
As zoos go San Diego is one of the better ones. Roomy enclosures and no popcorn. Any time I see a wild animal out of the wild part of me wants to put him right back, but I think zoos can serve useful purposes. Especially for those who can't get out into nature. A lot of zoos though are nothing but sad and miserable.
I went to a zoo once and there was just one animal and it was a dog. It was a Shih Tzu.
Way back in the previous millennium I was visiting the San Diego Zoo standing near the back of a crowd in front of the bear enclosure when when one of them decided to take a rather large dump right in the middle of his cage. I said to no one in particular "Huh, I always thought they did that in the woods." The whole crowd turned around to stare at me with pained expressions. It made my day. From then on I generally will use the expression "Does a bear shit in the zoo?". I've seen several bears in the woods, but I've never seen one defecate there. I do appreciate the video evidence, but the other is personal experience so I'll probably continue to use it.
Funny how we all react differently. I would have felt sad and miserable.
Recall going to the Edmonton wild animal zoo in 1968 at the age of 12. This large Siberian Tiger prowled up and down behind the chain-link fence. Then it it stopped, opened it mouth wide open and puked up several litres of popcorn slime.
Way back in the previous millennium I was visiting the San Diego Zoo standing near the back of a crowd in front of the bear enclosure when when one of them decided to take a rather large dump right in the middle of his cage. I said to no one in particular "Huh, I always thought they did that in the woods." The whole crowd turned around to stare at me with pained expressions. It made my day. From then on I generally will use the expression "Does a bear shit in the zoo?". I've seen several bears in the woods, but I've never seen one defecate there. I do appreciate the video evidence, but the other is personal experience so I'll probably continue to use it.
does a bear sh!t in the woods question finally answered!
Way back in the previous millennium I was visiting the San Diego Zoo standing near the back of a crowd in front of the bear enclosure when when one of them decided to take a rather large dump right in the middle of his cage. I said to no one in particular "Huh, I always thought they did that in the woods." The whole crowd turned around to stare at me with pained expressions. It made my day. From then on I generally will use the expression "Does a bear shit in the zoo?". I've seen several bears in the woods, but I've never seen one defecate there. I do appreciate the video evidence, but the other is personal experience so I'll probably continue to use it.
And I would interpret the indecision of the bear as a symptom of territorial unease. But what the heck? Getting scarred by a Griz/Alaska Brown is much more exciting than getting hurt in an automobile, or having an America cop shoot you.
