14 DAY TRIAL // French actress Brigitte Bardot thinks the annual bear hunt held in New Jersey state is nothing but a “scandalous carnage.” She is trying to convince the state's governor, Chris Christie, to stop the massacre and protect the black bear population.
On the other hand, authorities say they have all the right reasons to let hunters preserve the tradition, since the number of these animals has increased significantly, the New York Post reports.
They have declared that the population has to be properly monitored and controlled.369 such unfortunate animals have been killed so far, according to a report provided by the Division of Fish and Wildlife. Today is the last day in which this disputed legal activity could make even more victims.
“Bear permits for two of the four bear hunting areas remain available. The New Jersey black bear hunting season is held concurrently with the Six-day Firearm Deer Season; in 2011 the dates are December 5-10. Participants are required to have a Black Bear Hunting Area Permit for the area they hunt in and a valid firearm license,” reveal NJDEP representatives on their website.
It appears that there are only four areas in which participants can kill bears in this state, during the event and they can only hunt in the area for which they own a permit. Even if they have more than one permit, their prey must be limited to one animal for the season.
Last year, during the hunt, participants managed to kill no less than 592 “harvested” animals, as they declared at that point in time.
While analyzing this alarming precedent, Brigitte Bardot spares no efforts to convince the New Jersey authorities that this method of controlling the increased number of animals is cruel and unnecessary.
"What can we think about the state of New Jersey, where 592 bears are condemned to death?" Bardot wrote.
During the last few years, Brigitte Bardot has focused all her efforts in improving the lives of animals in every part of the Globe. She has embraced the knowledge and values of the former Indian leader Mahatma Gandhi, who thought a nation could be judged by the way it treats its animals.