In Yosemite National Park, a bear cub was hit by a car and his mother stayed to watch over the body for hours
He is about to be run over, his mother saves him Bears are among the most endangered animals in the world. And often they are not safe even in protected areas. Even there, uncivilized people pester or kill them very lightly. Just a few days ago a bear cub was brutally killed by a car that hit him at great speed inside the Yosemite National Park, in California. And for several hours her mother stayed to watch over her baby. A heartbreaking scene that a park ranger, tired of witnessing these events, decided to tell through a post on Facebook: Bear struck by a vehicle, died on the roadside. Unfortunately, it has become routine ”- explains the ranger - I register the coordinates on my phone, collect the equipment I might need and head to the place. My job here is easy, really: find the bear, move its body off the road, compile a report, and collect samples and measurements for research. Then I set off on my way with another number to add to the total number of bears hit by vehicles this year, data which we hope will help prevent future collisions. However, the reality behind each of these numbers is quite different. According to the coordinates given to me, I'm still a few hundred meters away. I try to remember how many times I've done this and, honestly, I don't know. This is not what each of us chooses this business for, but it is part of the job nonetheless. Then something catches my attention. A puppy. His tiny light brown body on the street, almost invisible to any passerby. He is a new puppy, no more than six months old, now lifeless under a small pine tree. For a moment I lose track of time as I stand there staring at her tiny body, but then the sound of multiple cars reminds me of my place and role. I take a deep sigh and continue with my task. But what happens next to the ranger would break anyone's heart. I take the puppy and take it to the woods. I don't have a certain destination. I'm just walking until I no longer feel the chaos coming from the street behind me. I see a grassy spot surrounded by trunks and I approach it. I place the bear cub near one of the logs and sit on the opposite log. I take another moment and then continue with my work. I open the backpack, take the binder and start with the evaluation. It's a girl. This immediately triggers the thoughts he may have had - perhaps he would have had puppies of his own - and in the meantime I hear a stick breaking. A little further on there is a familiar figure staring at me intently. It's another bear. Surprised, I get up quickly and the bear runs towards the bush but stops not far away and looks towards me. Acting instinctively, I pick up a stick and split it over a tree to scare the bear. I remain silent and listen to the footsteps of the bear that goes away. It could be a bear coming for food, or it could be a common crossing area for any other reason - another bear was killed not far from here last week. But then I hear it again and completely change my mind. Behind me I hear a sound, a sort of grunt with a deep yet soft sound. I immediately understood what it is. It is a vocalization that female bears make to call their cubs. I turn and look in his direction and there he is, the same bear as before staring at me intently. It is not a coincidence. This bear is the mother and has never left her cub. My heart sinks. It's been nearly six hours and she still hasn't given up on her baby. I can only imagine how many times she went back and forth down that road in an attempt to wake him up. She is extremely lucky she wasn't hit too. Desperate attempts to revive the animal continue. Here I am, between a grieving mother and her daughter. I feel like a monster. I get up, quickly prepare my bag and leave. Time to go, even if my job isn't done. I also installed a camera. Why? Each year we report the number of bears that are hit by vehicles, but the numbers don't always paint a picture.
@Yosemite National Park/Facebook
An avoidable tragedy
The ranger's distressing tale ends with a request to prevent such tragedies from happening again: Please remember that when we travel through Yosemite National Park we are all visitors to the home of numerous animals and it is up to us to follow the rules for protect them. Obey the speed limits, drive carefully and watch out for wildlife. Protecting the bears of Yosemite is something we can all do.Fonte: Yosemite National Park
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