Black Bear Population in New Jersey

Black Bear Population in New Jersey

As the world evolves, the number of problems facing it increases with each passing day. The population numbers of many species are rising extensively. Several environmental factors along with scientific factors combine, resulting in over-population. As more buildings, homes, and businesses materialize, natural habitats where animals live are destroyed, leaving certain species intruding in rural areas where they once roamed freely. One particularly example of this problem is the black bear population in New Jersey. The black bear population is growing too quickly while their natural habitat is rapidly decreasing. The Division of Fish and Wildlife estimates the black bear population in the state of New Jersey to be over 1,000. The same experts also estimate that in five years, the black bear population will double and prove its extremely fast rate of growth. As the black bears’ natural feeding grounds disappear, the reported number of incidents between bears and humans in New Jersey is on the rise. The black bear population is disrupting urban life by causing property damage, breaking into homes and cars, killing livestock and pets, and founding a general feeling of fear in the community. People feel the need to protect themselves, pets, livestock, and property. This issue affects a large percent of New Jersey residents and calls for measures. Three possible solutions to addressing this issue are conducting legalized hunts by hired professional hunters, targeting and euthanizing overly problematic bears, or rejecting the killing concept and dealing with the problem in several different, non-violent ways.

The first possible solution to control the black bear populat...

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... continue acting aggressively, and to fund programs teaching society ways to coexist with the bears without killing them. The Division’s Wildlife Control Unit is dealing with the complaints on this serious problem associated with an expanding bear population as best it can, but its resources are limited. A long-term solution is in great need, but until an concrete solution surfaces, interactions between bears and humans are inevitable and conflicts will continue to become more frequent as the number of bears grow. The community remains almost equally split over the controversial solutions to the problem. Although this issue is a specific one, it boils down to whether or not it is humane to kill another animal. This age-old question is the core of the matter and society must come to an agreement on the answer to this question before any improvements can occur.