Pedals (died October 2016, New Jersey, United States) was an American black bear (Ursus americanus) that walked upright on its hind legs[1] because of injuries on its front paws.[2] After videos of the bear were posted on the internet, more than 300,000 people signed a petition to move the bear to a wildlife sanctuary. However, Pedals appears to have been one of hundreds of bears killed by bullets or arrows in October 2016 in New Jersey's first sanctioned bow-and-arrow hunt in four decades.
| Species | American black bear (Ursus americanus) |
|---|---|
| Died | October 2016 New Jersey |
| Known for | Videos of the bear were posted on the internet |
| Residence | Oak Ridge, New Jersey |
Fame
editPedals was first spotted walking upright in 2014 in Oak Ridge, New Jersey,[1][3] spurring debate and discussions.[1][4][5] Videos of Pedals' bipedal walking were posted to the internet and he was described as an "internet sensation".[2] Officials initially warned that the videos might be a hoax.[3]
Over 300,000 people concerned with Pedals' welfare signed a petition written by Lisa Rose Rublack to relocate the bear to the Orphaned Wildlife Center in Otisville, New York.[6][7] Supporters donated $22,000 to a fund created by Sabrina Pugsley to move the bear to the sanctuary to prevent it from struggling to survive in the wild.[8] New York officials opposed the transfer of Pedals to the sanctuary.[7]
Pedals was being monitored by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection's Division of Fish and Wildlife, which asked residents to report sightings by calling a hotline[7][9] and announced in 2016 that the bear had not been seen since the previous Christmas.[10]
Death
editPedals' internet fame led Angi Metler, director of the Bear Education and Resource Group, to believe he would be targeted by bear hunters.[2][11] In October 2016, reports of Pedals being killed by a hunter received widespread attention.[1][12] On October 17, 2016, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection announced they believed Pedals had been killed during the officially sanctioned hunt.[13] The October 10–15 hunt was New Jersey's first sanctioned bow and arrow hunt since the 1960s.[13] During the hunt, which also permitted muzzle-loading rifles, a total of 562 bears were killed.[2][14]
In response to the killing, State Senator Raymond Lesniak introduced a bill dubbed "Pedals' Law" that would ban black bear hunting in New Jersey for five years.[15][16]
In December 2016, a hunter filed a defamation lawsuit in Morris County Superior Court alleging he was falsely accused on social media of being Pedals' killer, suffered death threats, and had his personal information published.[17]
See also
edit- List of individual bears
- Bear hunting
- Rare 'big tusker' elephant killed by Leon Kachelhoffer
References
edit- ^ a b c d Stack, Liam (October 15, 2016). "Pedals the Walking Bear Said to Be Killed by a Hunter in New Jersey". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved October 17, 2016.
- ^ a b c d Milman, Oliver (October 18, 2016). "Pedals the bear, known for walking on hind legs, apparently killed by hunters". The Guardian. Retrieved October 18, 2016.
- ^ a b Tata, Samantha (August 7, 2014). "Footage of 'bear' walking upright in NJ may be hoax, expert warns". PIX11. Retrieved October 18, 2016.
- ^ "Pedals, a bear that walks upright, is back — and so is the fight about helping him". The Washington Post. Retrieved October 14, 2016.
- ^ Foderaro, Lisa W. (August 18, 2016). "Debate in New Jersey: Is Bear That Walks Upright Suffering, or Thriving?". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved October 17, 2016.
- ^ Clark Howard, B. (October 17, 2016). "The bear that walked like a human may have been killed by one". National Geographic. Archived from the original on October 19, 2016. Retrieved October 18, 2016.
- ^ a b c Hutchinson, Dave (November 10, 2015). "Supporters of 'Pedals,' the injured walking bear, rally at Statehouse". NJ.com. Retrieved October 18, 2016.
- ^ Lawler, David (October 16, 2016). "Pedals the black bear, known for walking upright, 'killed by hunter'". The Telegraph. Retrieved October 16, 2016.
- ^ Hutchinson, Dave (December 28, 2015). "'Pedals,' the injured walking bear, alive and well, official says". NJ.com. Retrieved October 18, 2016.
- ^ Eleftheriou-Smith, L. (October 17, 2016). "Beloved black bear named Pedals 'killed during New Jersey hunting season'". The Independent. Archived from the original on May 25, 2022. Retrieved October 18, 2016.
- ^ "APLNJ Staff". Animal Protection League of New Jersey. Retrieved June 12, 2023.
- ^ COWEN, RICHARD. "Facebook group for bipedal bear says 'Pedals is dead' in statement". NorthJersey.com. Retrieved October 14, 2016.
- ^ a b Stack, Liam (October 17, 2016). "Pedals the Walking Bear Is Dead, New Jersey Officials Believe". The New York Times. Retrieved October 18, 2016.
- ^ "New Jersey's Black Bear Hunting Season". New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife. November 1, 2016. Retrieved November 7, 2016.
- ^ Norman, Jim (October 17, 2016). "N.J. senator's 'Pedals' Law' would ban black bear hunting for five years; hearing today". The Record. Retrieved October 18, 2016.
- ^ Ensslin, John (October 17, 2016). "Pedals Law: Bill would ban bear hunt for 5 years". Daily Record. Gannett New Jersey.
- ^ "Hunter Says He Was Falsely Accused of Killing Pedals the Bear, Files Lawsuit". Wall Street Journal. December 8, 2016. Retrieved December 12, 2016.