A grizzly end for man who liked to tell bears 'I love you'

The Telegraph (U.K.) ^ | 10/09/03 | Marcus Warren

[Pokey78]

A bear-lover who would creep up to grizzlies in the wild chanting "I love you" to prove that they posed no danger has been killed by them.

What remained of Timothy Treadwell, 46 - author, filmmaker and celebrity for his unorthodox views on the animals - was recovered from the Katmai National Park in Alaska this week. His bear attacker had buried part of him in a so-called food cache.

"This is unfortunate, but I'm not surprised," said Deb Liggett, the park's superintendent. "It really wasn't a matter of if, it was just a matter of when."

Mr Treadwell's girlfriend, Amie Huguenard, 37, was also killed, and two bears were shot dead by rangers and state troopers called to the scene.

During his lifetime Mr Treadwell, a former drug addict from Malibu, California, always said that if he came to grief, it would probably be his own fault and he wanted no bears to suffer in retaliation. "It would have killed Timothy to know that they killed the bears," said Jewel Palovak, an associate in California.

Mr Treadwell was the founder of Grizzly People, an organisation devoted to the protection of grizzly bears and their habitat. According to the group's website, it was Mr Treadwell's practice to travel bear country without weapons.

Mr Treadwell featured on the website of the actor and environmental activist Leonardo DiCaprio. According to a biography on the site, Mr Treadwell beat his addiction by spending time in the Alaskan wilderness, where he developed his fondness for bears.

The self-styled authority on the animals urged concerned friends not to worry and apparently added that he would be "honoured" to end up in a pile of bear dung. "I think Timothy would say it's the culmination of his life's work," Ms Palovak told the Anchorage Daily News.

"He always knew that he was the bears' guest and that they could terminate his stay at any time. He died doing what he lived for."

[So Cal Rocket]

Paging Mr. Darwin... Mr. Darwin, please pick up the white courtesy phone.

[cavtrooper21]

Enough about this twit...
He got what he wanted, to be really, REALLY close to a griz.
Wherever he is, he's happy.

[So Cal Rocket]

"It would have killed Timothy to know that they killed the bears," said Jewel Palovak, an associate in California.

Unfortunatly, Ms. Palovak, the bears got the first say in this matter.

[Support Free Republic]

Aww man! Enough of the fundraiser posts!!!

Only YOU can make fundraiser posts go away. Please contribute!

[Dog Gone]

The self-styled authority on the animals urged concerned friends not to worry and apparently added that he would be "honoured" to end up in a pile of bear dung.

I hope the bears weren't shot before the fulfilled his wishes.

[No_Outcome_But_Victory]

I nominate this guy for idiot of the month at the very least.

[billhilly]

Jack Kervorkian would have been proud.

[wimpycat]

"This is unfortunate, but I'm not surprised," said Deb Liggett, the park's superintendent. "It really wasn't a matter of if, it was just a matter of when."

It bears repeating...(nyuk, nyuk, nyuk!)

This is what you get when you are looking for a real bear hug.

[Joe Hadenuf]

Almost as stupid as the guy who liked to play with tigers on stage and make um do tricks.......

[Untouchable]

[U S Army EOD]

There have been several post already regarding this post. All of them are good reading and amusing. Once again my best contribution to the post.

There was a young lady from Niger
Who smiled as she rode on the tiger
They returned from the ride
With the lady inside
And the smile on the face of the tiger.


My update

Timmy the hippie had long hair
And he tried to be friends with a bear
The result of the kinship
Was the end of the friendship
When Timmy ended up in the bear.

[mylife]

Another touchy feely idiot that equates animals with humans.

I love the outdoors but in wilderness areas I would recommend a 45 at a minimum.

[Capriole]

I'll bet he changed his mind in the last minute of his life.

I've been in a couple of awful accidents and life-threatening incidents. In each of them time seemed to move very slowly indeed and I seemed to have plenty of time to think about what was going on and regret that I had gotten myself into this situation. I'm lucky--I survived. Timothy, who has got to be this year's Darwin Award winner, must have had some of the same thoughts at the end: "Uh-oh. This may have been a really bad idea. Mommy, get me out of here!"

Bad way to die.

[Charles Henrickson]

Mr Treadwell, a former drug addict from Malibu, California

Imagine that.

[Wondervixen]

>>"It would have killed Timothy to know that they killed the bears," said Jewel Palovak, an associate in California.

Really? Well, I guess Yogi & BooBoo beat em to it then.

[Charles Henrickson]

Look, this is supposed to be Tiger Attack Week here on FR.

[Charles Henrickson]

I heard AETP is very upset.

[Kahuna]

Timmy & Grey have lot's in common when you gaze at the California State flag. "Killed by their own swords"!

[U S Army EOD]

What would be worse in that situation would have to be the second one killed. You get to see their death and yours both in slow motion.

I have talked to witnesses from bear attacks and had them describe how it is sitting up in a tree hearing your girl friend screaming "My God he has just torn my arm off" knowing she is aware of being physically torn apart and knowing you just might be next.