Pedals (bear)

Pedals (died October 2016, New Jersey, United States) was an American black bear (Ursus americanus) that walked upright on its hind legs due to injuries on its front paws. 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. Pedals appears to have been killed in October 2016 in New Jersey's first sanctioned bow and arrow hunt in four decades. During the hunt, which also included muzzle-loading rifles, a total of 562 bears were killed.

Pedals
SpeciesAmerican black bear (Ursus americanus)
DiedOctober 2016
New Jersey
Known forVideos of the bear were posted on the internet
ResidenceOak Ridge, New Jersey

Fame

Pedals was first spotted in 2014 in Oak Ridge, New Jersey.[1][2] The bear walked upright on its hind legs[1] due to injuries on its front paws.[3] The bear's appearance spurred debate and discussions.[1][4][5] Videos of Pedals' bipedal walking were posted to the internet and he was described as an "internet sensation".[3] Officials initially warned that the videos may have been a hoax.[2]

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 avoid the possibility of it 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] In 2016, the Division asked the public to help with any sightings because the bear had not been seen since the previous Christmas.[10]

Death

Pedals' internet fame led Angi Metler, director of the Bear Education and Resource Program, to believe he would be targeted by bear hunters.[3] In October 2016, reports of Pedals being killed by a hunter received widespread attention.[1][11] On October 17, 2016, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection announced they believed Pedals had been killed during the officially sanctioned hunt.[12] The October 10–15 hunt was New Jersey's first sanctioned bow and arrow hunt since the 1960s.[12] During the hunt, which also permitted muzzle-loading rifles, a total of 562 bears were killed.[3][13]

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.[14][15]

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.[16]

See also

References
  1. 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.
  2. Tata, Samantha (August 7, 2014). "Footage of 'bear' walking upright in NJ may be hoax, expert warns". PIX11. Retrieved October 18, 2016.
  3. Milman, Oliver (October 18, 2016). "Pedals the bear, known for walking on hind legs, apparently killed by hunters". The Guardian. Retrieved October 18, 2016.
  4. "Pedals, a bear that walks upright, is back — and so is the fight about helping him". The Washington Post. Retrieved October 14, 2016.
  5. 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.
  6. Clark Howard, B. (October 17, 2016). "The bear that walked like a human may have been killed by one". National Geographic. Retrieved October 18, 2016.
  7. Hutchinson, Dave (November 10, 2015). "Supporters of 'Pedals,' the injured walking bear, rally at Statehouse". NJ.com. Retrieved October 18, 2016.
  8. Lawler, David (October 16, 2016). "Pedals the black bear, known for walking upright, 'killed by hunter'". The Telegraph. Retrieved October 16, 2016.
  9. Hutchinson, Dave (December 28, 2015). "'Pedals,' the injured walking bear, alive and well, official says". NJ.com. Retrieved October 18, 2016.
  10. Eleftheriou-Smith, L. (October 17, 2016). "Beloved black bear named Pedals 'killed during New Jersey hunting season'". The Independent. Retrieved October 18, 2016.
  11. COWEN, RICHARD. "Facebook group for bipedal bear says 'Pedals is dead' in statement". NorthJersey.com. Retrieved October 14, 2016.
  12. Stack, Liam (October 17, 2016). "Pedals the Walking Bear Is Dead, New Jersey Officials Believe". The New York Times. Retrieved October 18, 2016.
  13. "New Jersey's Black Bear Hunting Season". New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife. November 1, 2016. Retrieved November 7, 2016.
  14. 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.
  15. Ensslin, John (October 17, 2016). "Pedals Law: Bill would ban bear hunt for 5 years". Daily Record. Gannett New Jersey.
  16. "Hunter Says He Was Falsely Accused of Killing Pedals the Bear, Files Lawsuit". Wall Street Journal. December 8, 2016. Retrieved December 12, 2016.
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