Pa. hunter's images stir Bigfoot debate

[Cypros]

The part of PA where this bear was spotted would welcome development It is extremely rural and there is no shortage of bear habitat.

I don't disagree with your point, but factually it doesn't apply to this situation. People don't understand how huge Pennsylvania is and how much of it is uninhabited. Towns that developed because of coal or timber or oil are now struggling because there are no jobs. There are probably fewer people in Ridgway today than there were 100 years ago. And way more bears than back then.

Actually, I live in PA so I am familiar with the terrain. Uninhabited land is not necessarily conducive to appropriate food and resources for wildlife when the land is subdivided by highways and much of the land is cultivated.

I realize that development is important to the economy, but I do not believe that new homes on unbuilt land are necessary when there are old abandoned homes that can be refurbished and old factories and other commercial lands that can be converted to housing and businesses.

 

[reportertype]

I totally agree with you, reb. The bear is not just suffering from mange. It is VERY thin and appears to be malnourished. I feel so badly for wildlife that is forced into marginal lands and unable to maintain a healthy diet and life. Sadly, if this bear were to become aggressive in its efforts to find food for itself and its babies it would be considered a threat to humans and killed promptly.

I would love to see a stop to land development for residential purposes in order to quell the encroachment on lands that are homes to the earth's other creatures. There are plenty of houses out there. We do not need any more oversized McMansions. Cities can invest in improving old neighborhoods and families can refurbish old houses rather than building more and more of them.

I agree. This is happening in many areas, tho as luthersmama pointed out, not all. It's bad in our part of Fla with panthers and their habitat getting smaller and smaller. They end up in highways getting run over.