For The Nature Photographers - A New Fad

[TheNevadanStig]

With the drought this year, plus an extra heavy salmon run, a lot of the creeks and streams are packed full of bears this year. Great for people that actually know how to conduct themselves and respect wildlife, but a new fad is appearing. People are now attempting to take "bear selfies". It's gotten so bad they are threatening to close down some of the parks and trails, and one person has been attacked.
Tahoe rangers issue warning about selfies with bears | www.ktvu.com

The salmon/bear run is a cool thing to watch. I almost went this past weekend but couldn't find anyone to go with me. It's kind of upsetting so many idiots can ruin it for the rest of us. I say let them go for it, natural selection

 

[snowbear115 47]

I say let them, in fact, encourage them to do it, especially with the cubs. We'll end up with fewer stupid people.

 

[JustJazzie]

I couldn't read this and not share.

About two months ago I was awoken at 2ish am to my husband yelling and the dog going bonkers. After listening for a few minuets I decided to crawl out of bed to see what the heck was going on.

Me"What in the world is going on out here?"
Hubby "oh it's nothing. Just a bear digging through the trash, I'm trying to get it to growl back at me and stand on his heind legs like they do on tv"

So I grab my camera, hop on my one good leg (the other was in a cast) and look outside and see a bear, nearly as tall as our ford escape on all fours not 50 feet away from me. I looked at him, he looked at me - and I hopped back inside without a picture knowing that if I made him mad 4 legs against one wasn't a fair match.

 

[Overread16 4]

Sadly this just shows how disassociated many of us are with the wild world. Those people can't see a threat from the bear because they've likely grown up far away from the natural world to the point where they just don't appreciate what a wild animal really is nor what they can and will do.

I could insert a bit about it being US people being dim (cause I'm British and we can do that ) but sadly its just as bad if not worse in the UK to some degree (since we don't really have any wild creatures that are a threat to us - so we are VERY inexperienced in woodland or wild reaches where there are wild animals that can be a major risk.

 

[tirediron]

There is a LOT of stupid in this world. I wonder what the bears will do with the 'phones?

 

[480sparky40 39]

There is a LOT of stupid in this world. I wonder what the bears will do with the 'phones?

Take their own selfies and show the primates how it's done!

I say let them, in fact, encourage them to do it, especially with the cubs. We'll end up with fewer stupid people.

If Darwin was right, how come we have even more stupid people today than in years past?

 

[snowbear115 47]

If Darwin was right, how come we have even more stupid people today than in years past?

The government protects endangered species; even if they are self-endangered.

 

[JimMcClain]

A week or so ago I was out looking for Autumn pictures. My lungs don't let me go very far on foot, but I saw a narrow trail leading into the woods near the highway, so I parked and grabbed my camera and tripod. I figured I wouldn't walk any farther than it took to get a little winded, knowing I could rest a minute and walk back, maybe get some pictures in between.

Just as I ran out of breath - I kept going just a little farther and a little farther - I thought I heard my own breath echo. That's kinda odd. I looked back, in the direction the echo was coming and there was a small bear. It was laying face down, probably had been hit by a car and managed to crawl that far. It wasn't a cub, but it was a very young bear and my first thought, when I realized what it was, is where is momma bear???

Just that little bit of sheer fright was enough for me to realize I would never make it back to my car if I didn't catch my breath, even if there was no momma bear. Oh crap, why didn't I use my Segway instead of walk? So, I stood perfectly still for what seemed like 10 minutes or more. It was prob'ly only 2 or 3. Then I walked very slowly back to my car and I had to get even closer to the young bear to do it.

The sad part was I think the bear died while I was there. I distinctly heard him/her breathing when I first noticed it, but as I walked back to the car, I could not hear any more breaths coming from the animal. I sat in my car, took a couple hits off the albuterol and went home.

I've lived in bear and mountain lion country most of my life. But I've never been so close or so frightened since my lungs went bad. Still, I will not let that fear keep me from the woods. But the next time, I will be better prepared and, hopefully, smarter.

And nope, no selfies with a dead bear for me.

Jim

 

[Derrel]

I got a hell of a laugh from that article's poor writing!

"Lisa Herron, orator for a Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit, told a Reno Gazette-Journal that she was fearful that an attempted selfie may end with a death of injury from a bear attack."

“We’ve had mobs of people that are indeed rushing toward a bears perplexing to get a ‘selfie’ photo,” Herron told the paper. “It is presenting a reserve issue. We are fearful someone is going to get attacked.”

OMG! Does that TV station proof its copy? Such hilarious writing!

Imagine those mobs, perplexing and all! Oh-wait,wait,wait, maybe it is the bears that are "perplexing"....or maybe the bears are perplexing, you know, to get selfies taken? Hard to tell what Lisa Herron meant, which is shocking since she's an orator and all...

 

[snerd]

....... OMG! Does that TV station proof its copy? Such hilarious writing!...

The really sad part is, they probably do.

 

[Vince.1551]

I couldn't read this and not share.

About two months ago I was awoken at 2ish am to my husband yelling and the dog going bonkers. After listening for a few minuets I decided to crawl out of bed to see what the heck was going on.

Me"What in the world is going on out here?"
Hubby "oh it's nothing. Just a bear digging through the trash, I'm trying to get it to growl back at me and stand on his heind legs like they do on tv"

So I grab my camera, hop on my one good leg (the other was in a cast) and look outside and see a bear, nearly as tall as our ford escape on all fours not 50 feet away from me. I looked at him, he looked at me - and I hopped back inside without a picture knowing that if I made him mad 4 legs against one wasn't a fair match.

Double smh -.(\


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[sm4him]

I say let them, in fact, encourage them to do it, especially with the cubs. We'll end up with fewer stupid people.

I'd be all for letting the natural order of things prevail when these idiots do this jammin' cr*p.

Unfortunately, around here, we have had incidents where someone does something stupid like that, the bear attacks--and then the bear ends up being put down. That just infuriates me.

 

[annamaria]

People are dense. For instance when I go to Cades Cove and people see a bear or any wildlife they make such a ruckus! So ridiculous, so of course I can't get a photo. Grrrrrrr

 

[Gary A.]

Sadly, if a bear attacks a selfie shooter ... then the bear is earmarked for removal or worse. I think a bear selfie shooter has to pay for their own medical bill.

 

[limr30 3]

I say let them, in fact, encourage them to do it, especially with the cubs. We'll end up with fewer stupid people.

Thin the herd, man. Thin the herd.

I say let them, in fact, encourage them to do it, especially with the cubs. We'll end up with fewer stupid people.

If Darwin was right, how come we have even more stupid people today than in years past?

Because it's easier to be stupid these days than it used to be. We keep making things that save people from the "accidents" that are actually caused by their own shortsightedness and foolishness. Of course, quite often the people who laud this technology that makes things So! Much! Easier! are the same ones who complain about how people don't know how to do anything anymore.