From the Missoulian:
Pickup truck kills 700-pound griz near Lincoln
By JOHN CRAMER of the Missoulian
A 700-pound grizzly bear was hit and killed by a pickup truck Wednesday near Lincoln. The fatality was another example of the threatened species expanding its range and population in western Montana, where the human population and highway traffic also are increasing.
The number of bears reported killed in road accidents so far this year – at least six grizzlies and 30 black bears – is unusually high for western Montana. “More bears and more people and cars – those two things are colliding,” said Chris Servheen, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s grizzly bear recovery coordinator.
“These bears are pushing further and further out (of the Northern Continental Divide ecosystem) and reoccupying former territories,” Servheen said. “It’s really tragic this one was killed in such a worthless way.”
Apparently, no humans were involved, just a pickup and a bear. Not sure what the truck had against the bear.
Actually, the thing that ticks me off here is the obvious preference for creatures over humans. Was the driver injured? Killed, maybe? That’s not important to these folks. A few comments here tell the story:
“Poor guy [meaning the bear]. Big machinery shouldn’t be near our wilds.”
“Highway 200 is a death trap for all kinds of wildlife…elk, bear, deer, wolves etc. [No mention of people here, either.] Add that to the fact that it’s still ‘macho’ and a status symbol to have the biggest, baddest, fastest truck speeding down 200 in the dark. [Ah, here's the reference to people - testosterone-laden good old boys."]
I wouldn’t be surprised if the Gaiea-worshippers ran to take care of the bear before they looked to see if the driver was injured.
