N.Y.: Pedals The Walking Bear Can't Come to Shelter In Our State

The ongoing battle to rescue an injured black bear in northern New Jersey took a major hit recently when New York’s Department of Environmental Protection said it likely could not accommodate the animal in one of its state’s wildlife centers.

Residents of Oak Ridge, in Morris County, connected with The Orphaned Wildlife Center in Otisville, New York, earlier this year, and discussed Pedals. The black bear seen roaming the neighborhood for more than a year currently walks on its hind legs due to injuries to its front paws.

The Orphaned Wildlife Center said it could build a habitat at its facility to accommodate Pedals, who would join a dozen or so other bears. For a cost of between $15,000 and $18,000, the Center would come to New Jersey, tranquilize Pedals, and safely relocate the bear to upstate New York.

But the Center would need approval from both New Jersey and New York environmental protection agencies in order to do so.

While New Jersey has not made a concrete decision and says it wants to evaluate the bear, New York may have just sealed the deal.

According to nj.com, the Center is allowed one “special permit” to house an injured bear. The state has already given the Center such a permit and is currently in use, therefore not allowing Pedals to be relocated to The Orphaned Wildlife Center regardless of New Jersey’s ruling, the report said.

Late last week the NJDEP released a statement explaining where it was in the process of analyzing Pedals.

The statement, in part, said:

There has not been a residential sighting of this upright bear reported to the Division in three weeks, indicating that it is not living in the neighborhoods where it has been seen. The Division believes this bear is likely in its natural habitat preparing for winter by taking advantage of this year’s enormous acorn crop.

If the bear is located, biologists will respond to the scene to observe the animal. If it is determined the bear has injuries that will prevent it from surviving in its natural habitat, it will be brought to a New Jersey‐licensed rehabilitator for care. If it is determined the bear’s condition will impede its long‐term survival, the Division will seek a New Jersey‐based animal facility for the bear to stay. If the bear is determined to be able to care for itself, it will be returned to its natural habitat.

Based on video footage of the bear, interviews with residents who have seen the bear and the animal’s survival through last winter’s very cold and snowy weather, the bear appears to have been able to find adequate food resources in an area of high‐bear density.

The Division understands that many people are concerned about the bear’s well‐being. However, in the professional judgement of Division experts and biologists, wild bears should not live in captivity. Black bears are very adaptable animals. The fact that this bear made it through last year’s harsh winter is a strong indicator of its ability to survive without human intervention. In fact, many bears in northern New Jersey have survived collisions and have adapted to life with their injuries. They are able to survive on natural foods within the reach of the ground.

The ability to climb is also not necessary for a bear’s survival, as some have said. In fact, many larger and older black bears actually lose their ability or willingness to climb. It also has been stated that this bear will not be able to “dig” a den because of injuries to its front paws. This is not an issue, as black bears in New Jersey typically den on the open ground in a surface nest, under fallen trees or within rock outcroppings.

A GoFundMe page brought in more than $23,000 to help with the relocation of Pedals. Sabrina Pugsley, the woman spearheading the efforts, said all funds will be given back to donors if the bear is not relocated.

An online petition was also created, which garnered more than 200,000 signatures from around the world.

Supporters of Pedals plan to gather in Trenton Tuesday, Nov. 10 from 12:30 to 2 p.m. and deliver the signed petition to the NJDEP, according to a public Facebook page that can be seen here.