I blame Disney and Grizzly Addams....................
Don’t forget the cute polar bear Coke commercials.
And the armored polar bears 🐻❄️ from “The Golden Compass”.
I blame Berenstain and Goldilocks.
I blame Disney more than anything. Giving human emotions to wild animals. I live in black bear central in the southeastern KY mountains and watch the utter stupidity that people do around these animals and am amazed they managed to make it into adulthood. Trying to pet them, feeding them, trying to get a picture of your small child next to the bear, insanity!
I currently have a 400+ plus big boy that roams through my property but stays away from my house and my mother-in-laws, but there is a small one, 100 lbs range that has came up on our porch and is hanging around and we are not feeding and are very careful to put up garbage. He is becoming a nuisance and will receive #8 .12 gauge load in the backside soon to discourage him. I suspect that neighbors a few miles down the road are feeding him.
Quick, let’s go to PetSmart.