The Grizzly, Our Greatest Wild Animal — John Stuart Mill — John Shaqi
The Grizzly, Our Greatest Wild Animal
John Stuart Mill · en
It is doubtful if he is holding his own anywhere within the bounds of
the United States, unless it be in Glacier National Park. The grizzly
population of the Yellowstone National Park is variously estimated from
fifty to one hundred. But each year numbers of cubs born inside the Park
are trapped just outside of it, and old bears whose home is inside the
Park are occasionally shot outside the boundary-line. It may be that the
bears coming in from outside, a few of whom each year appear to move
into the Park to live, may maintain the normal or possibly slightly
increase the population; but this is doubtful. There are a few
grizzlies in the Rocky Mountain National Park, perhaps a few in the
Mount Rainier Park, and a number in four or five of the Canadian
National Parks. Alaska is the grizzly country at present; but dozens of
hunters are each year putting a check on its increase in grizzly
population, except in the Mount McKinley National Park.
The grizzly needs protection at once, needs your active interest now. He
is making his last stand and is surrounded by relentless foes.
Protection only will save him and enable him to perpetuate himself.
Without the grizzly the wilds would be dull, the cañon and the crag
would lose their eloquent appeal. This wild uncrowned king has won his
place in nature which no other animal can fill. We need the grizzly
bear--the King of the Wilderness World.
With a closed season everywhere in the United States for a few years,
the bears would increase in numbers and in due time areas now
depopulated would be again peopled by them. Among the grizzlies there
are always adventurers who wander far away looking for new scenes. These
exploring grizzlies, as numbers increased, might redistribute
themselves. Grizzlies in western Oregon might wander southward and even
restock the four National Parks of California, where there is now not a
grizzly. But this would require a cessation of the shooting of grizzlies
for a number of years.
The population might be more quickly affected by restocking. A few
grizzlies could be trapped in Yellowstone and set free in these other
National Parks. The problem of restocking unoccupied areas would not be
difficult if there could be for a few years a general closed season. In
restocking these areas the zoos could not help. So far grizzlies have
not been successfully bred in confinement.
The grizzly is an educational factor of enormous potential value. An
acquaintance with him will give a lively interest in the whole world of
nature, in both natural history and the natural resources of the earth.
A knowledge of these will increase the enjoyment and the usefulness of
every one.