Pedals the Walking Bear Said to Be Killed by a Hunter in New Jersey

[Omaha Steve]

Pedals the bear, known for walking upright in New Jersey, was thought to have been one of 487 bears killed by hunters in New Jersey last week.

By LIAM STACKOCT. 15, 2016

Pedals, a beloved American black bear who walked upright and strolled around the suburbs of New Jersey like a Hanna-Barbera cartoon come to life, was believed to have been killed by a hunter last week, animal welfare activists said. His age was not known.

Since 2014 residents of Rockaway Township have posted videos online of the bear strolling through their neighborhoods and backyards with admirable posture, his forepaws pulled close to his chest. Many commented that on first glance, Pedals resembled a man wearing a bear suit.

But it appears that local celebrity was not enough to save Pedals during the state’s five-day hunting season for black bears, which began on Monday and allowed hunters to kill bears with a bow and arrow for the first time since the 1960s. He was one of 487 bears killed by hunters in New Jersey last week.

It was unknown whether Pedals walked upright because his forepaws were injured or if he had been born with a congenital defect, but either way his supporters had organized into an online community to promote his well-being. On Friday, an administrator of a Facebook group dedicated to the bear posted an anguished statement for its more than 21,000 followers. It was tagged “feeling heartbroken.”

FULL story: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/16/nyregion/pedals-the-walking-bear-said-to-be-killed-by-a-hunter-in-new-jersey.html

[meadowlark5]

1. I can't even post on this, it makes me so sad and mad

We have bears where I live but in very low numbers. And people have backyard chickens and are allowed shoot any wildlife that threatens their HOA allowed 10 chickens. Can you imagine someone shooting a bear with a $3 chicken in it's mouth. Well, they can.

It's all about human rights and property.

[BlueCaliDem]

2. If he was killed - and I'm hoping he's not - I'm heartbroken. Such a treasure and pleasure

to have and to watch...and then violent humans ends his life prematurely.

My heart sank a few inches in my chest reading this.

[sinkingfeeling]

3. How awful. Poor bear had overcome so much to be murdered.

[Mendocino]

4. This reminds me of

country singer Troy Gentry. He paid a fee and shot a tame bear in a fenced enclosure, the very definition of "canned hunting". The bear in this case was named Cubbie.

[Egnever]

5. That isn't a bear it is bigfoot!

[joeybee12]

6. sad and angry

Fucking hunters. I hope Pedals had an easy passing.

[rockfordfile]

7. That's messed up

"Monday and allowed hunters to kill bears with a bow and arrow for the first time since the 1960s"

Bow and arrows cause the most pain. There were a couple of horse killed that way. One in Maine and I think the other Vermont .

It seem people tried to get the bear moved to a wildlife preserve. You can bet the hunter knew that he killed that bear.