You might recall Pedals, a bear who walked on his hind legs who had become something of a local celebrity in New Jersey.
It's not precisely known why Pedals walked how he did, whether it was through an injury or a congenital defect of some kind, but he was a beloved local visitor to parts of Rockaway Township in New Jersey. Many of the locals filmed Pedals and his little strolls through their neighbourhood, making him a viral sensation.
However, it seems that being viral and a local celebrity wasn't enough to stop hunters killing Pedals during New Jersey's five-day hunting season. Pedals was just one of 487 bears killed during the period. Local animal welfare activists had been raising money for Pedals' care, and had hoped that he could be taken to a wildlife preserve in New York.
Officials from the Department of Environmental Protection have been unable to specifically verify if it was Pedals who was killed. A spokesperson for the Department said yesterday that a dead bear with visible injuries had been brought into a check station last week.
Sabrina Pugsley, who ran Pedals' Facebook page and campaigned for the bear to be taken to a wildlife shelter, told NorthJersey.com that the hunter who killed Pedals noticed his mangled front paws, which is how they were able to identify him as Pedals.
Pedals, you are too good for this world.
Via NorthJersey.com
