Blog #12

I thought this film was very interesting to watch, but also very hard to watch. I have never heard of some one doing something like this before, living with wild animals, and I think it is crazy. To me, it is common sense that there are certain boundaries between humans and wild animals that must be respected. A grizzly bear is definitely not something that comes to mind when I think of animals I'd want to be around. I have always thought of them as violent and strong, easily able to kill a human without hesitation. It was amazing how long Timothy Treadwell was able to live with these bears and aside from the danger, his motives were something worthy of admiration. He was willing to sacrifice his life and saftey for something that he thought had a greater purpose.

It showed another side of nature that humans do not often get to experience, especially when it comes to bears. He tried to show people the "gentle" side of bears and that they are able to be trusted. However, I think this crossed the line many times that set him up for the event that ended of his life. He was around them with no fear or protection, almost as if he underestimated their power and wild nature. He also seemed overly confident about how they felt about him, assuming undoubtedly that they respected and enjoyed his company as much as he did them; I don't understand what made him think that he knew them so well. It was as if he viewed the bears like humans dressed up as bears, as stated in the movie. He did not treat them as animals, but as companions.

Overall, it was amazing how he handled the bears and learned about their life and natural habitat. He always treated them with kindess and showed his love for them. This is the exact opposite of how many people treat animals today, especially ones that are a threat to us. He was able to fully appreciate their existence and treat them as an equal. I think this documentary was something very imporant for others to see, but I wish more caution had been expressed. The lack of fear he exhibited attributed to the tragic death of him and his girlfriend. Their death is very sad to me especially because it was caused from what he loved so much and desire to protect. It was an ironic turn of events, but it teaches a valuable lesson to all who have been able to hear his story. It was a clear sign that even someone who lived with bears for so long and was very familiar to them, respecting them and learning their way of life, was not able to survive; wild animals are wild animals, driven by instinct and not moral decision.