Activist charged with illegally feeding bears

[Mugu]

by Brian T. Murray/The Star-Ledger

A former member of Bear Education and Resource, an anti-hunting organization that blames people and their unsecured garbage for New Jersey's bruin troubles, was charged today with deliberately feeding the animals.

Susan Kehoe, 57, was videotaped providing bags of sunflower seeds to bears in the backyard of her Vernon Township home, the state Department of Environmental Protection said. Charging her with creating a public nuisance, a disorderly persons offense, the DEP contends conservation officers watched her repeatedly feed bears since March 28 in the Lake Wanda area. "I'd like to see the pictures," Kehoe said. "I don't feed bears. They are just targeting bear activists."

While she has held herself out to be a member and leader of BEAR in the past, Kehoe tonight said she is neither and does not pay dues to the group. She also said she was concerned about how her arrest would reflect on the group.

BEAR protested public hunts that were held in 2003 and 2005 in the northwest corner of the state, and continues to oppose state efforts to trap nuisance bears. Kehoe and BEAR contend humans and their improperly stored trash are the problem, not bears.

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2008/04/advocates_charged_with_illegal.html">Complete article

[Gormy Cuss]

1. I should hope that Kehoe isn't feeding bears in her backyard

because that's a good way to make the bears more comfortable around humans. During the next bear hunt those bears will be easy pickings.

[Vanje]

2. Sunflower seeds!?!!???

If laying out sunflower seeds for wildlife is a crime, an awful lot of people are in big trouble.

Sunflower seeds.
Bird-feeders.
There are millions and millions of people who feed sunflower seeds in their backyards.

[uppityperson]

4. It depends on quantity and intent

10# in bird feeders =bird food
150# in a trough on the ground =bear food

People should not be feeding bears as it will end poorly for the bear.

[zbdent]

3. and a kid who tries to kill Terri Schiavo with a cup of water

gets off free ...