I may have a unique perspective on this tragic story. I spent 17 days camping and photographing in the same area as Tredwell and left just days before his death. I feel compelled to make a few observations.
Whatever Tredwell's philosophy on bears remember he was only camping when he was attacked, not sneaking up on bears, not touching them, not suprising a bear on a kill, or any other activity commonly associated with bear attacks. I don't think it's fair to suggest that Treadwell's philosophy, comments or quotes to suggest he 'got what he deserved'. No one has ever been killed in Katmai and there has been lots of tourist and photographers in the area, so statistically he was not participating in dangerous activity.
It's easy to say you'd photograph with an 800 mm lense. Having been to this area I can tell you that every photographer from the fearless to the most cautious, with 24mm or 1000mm, ends up being close (within 10 feet, at times) to the bears at times,simply because the bears move that close to you while fishing, fighting or just moving around.
Maybe Treadwell was a bit unrealistic is his assesment of the possible danger around bears. I don't know this because I never talked with him. But I think the important part of his message is that we can a should be part of the wild, that the dogma that created the near extermination of the grizzly in the rest of the states is wrong.
Should all the Treadwells, all the climbers all the fighters and everyone else avoid all situations that may include some risk.
Celebrate this fellow nature lover, and photographer and respect him for his devotion.
Bear "expert" killed in Katmai
in Nature
Posted
I may have a unique perspective on this tragic story. I spent 17 days camping and photographing in the same area as Tredwell and left just days before his death. I feel compelled to make a few observations.
Whatever Tredwell's philosophy on bears remember he was only camping when he was attacked, not sneaking up on bears, not touching them, not suprising a bear on a kill, or any other activity commonly associated with bear attacks. I don't think it's fair to suggest that Treadwell's philosophy, comments or quotes to suggest he 'got what he deserved'. No one has ever been killed in Katmai and there has been lots of tourist and photographers in the area, so statistically he was not participating in dangerous activity.
It's easy to say you'd photograph with an 800 mm lense. Having been to this area I can tell you that every photographer from the fearless to the most cautious, with 24mm or 1000mm, ends up being close (within 10 feet, at times) to the bears at times,simply because the bears move that close to you while fishing, fighting or just moving around.
Maybe Treadwell was a bit unrealistic is his assesment of the possible danger around bears. I don't know this because I never talked with him. But I think the important part of his message is that we can a should be part of the wild, that the dogma that created the near extermination of the grizzly in the rest of the states is wrong.
Should all the Treadwells, all the climbers all the fighters and everyone else avoid all situations that may include some risk.
Celebrate this fellow nature lover, and photographer and respect him for his devotion.