Bears as Imaginary Dragons

There may be something within us that wants to imagine dangerous animals to prove our courage against them. People used to imagine dragons.  Today, outdoor writers, artists, and others profit by demonizing bears.  They exaggerate danger, creating fantasies of courage that sell magazines, art, bear hunting trips, and more.

Many people accept these exaggerations and develop a deep fear of bears.  Believing that bears must be killed to protect life and property, they have eliminated bears from many parts of their former range.  Fear and habitat loss have driven some bear species to the verge of extinction.

The exaggerations continue today.