Grizzly Man

Timothy Treadwell

The Grizzly man, as seen recently on Discovery (if you haven't seen it you should) brought to light the life and times of Timothy Treadwell and the grizzlies he lived with. Treadwell was rather self serving, arrogant, escentric and perhaps crazy to say the least, as he believed he could communicate with grizzlies...a bear whisperer so to speak. One thing is certain, Treadwell "loved" bears and was extremely passionate about them and their environment, and died doing what he loved, living among grizzlies. Nonetheless, his death brings an absolute awareness that the grizzly is indeed a wild and unconquered creature of the wild itself. In this regard the animal deserves and demands respect from we humans. And, this is what Treadwell captured through his own passion as shown in his love of grizzlies, his photography and writings about them. In his mind the rules ought not apply to himself, he was their "protector" not the Park Service nor its rules and regulations, which he had much disdain for. In the end, two grizzlies are shot near the Treadwell Camp (in the park) for being bears in their own environment. Lastly, if Treadwell had had bear spray it probably would have prevented an attack, perhaps the irony of it all.

Ken James McLeod

(McPilchuck)

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