By: Sam Gruetter and Kloe Adams
Opinion and Editorial editors
The majority of campgrounds are in the wilderness and house animals of all kinds. The integration between society and nature that camping allows is the main reason that all campers should familiarize themselves with appropriate safety protocols when they encounter wildlife. However, when they do not, it can have detrimental consequences for both parties involved, as was the case with Victor, a bear iconic to the Mammoth Lake campground.
Previously, many of the locals and regular campers welcomed Victor, saying they found his wandering in the campground charming and welcoming and were undisturbed by him. Victor would occasionally take campers’ food but never harmed any of them. Campground host Delaney Prince described Victor’s even-keeled nature, saying, “It took a lot to spook Victor.” On Aug. 21, nearby campsites attracted Victor during dinnertime, when many of the residents were cooking food; one campsite in particular was cooking steak. As he approached the campers, the campers neglected to follow the recommended safety protocol of putting away their food and slowly backing away from the bear. Instead, they banged pots and pans at Victor, further provoking the bear to lash out at a nearby camper, leaving a deep wound. Campers in neighboring sites recorded the entire altercation and uploaded it to the internet, sparking debate about who was at fault: Victor or the campers. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife deemed Victor a safety threat after the camper was rushed to the hospital and decided the appropriate course of action would be to exterminate him. They released comments on the situation saying “personnel took the bear to the Bishop landfill and requested an immediate burial to prevent scavengers from accessing the carcass” — which, according to the statement, was contaminated with euthanizing drugs.
In response to Victor’s death and discarding at the landfill, the Bishop Paiute Tribe, a federally recognized tribe of Mono and Timbisha Indians, intervened and recovered the carcass to give it a proper burial. “The Bishop Paiute Tribe and its community are deeply mourning the loss of one of their sacred relatives, Victor the Pahabichi, who was tragically killed and discarded at the Bishop-Sunland Landfill,” the Tribe said in a statement. “Upon learning of the incident, the Tribe swiftly acted to recover Victor and ensure he received the respect and ceremony he deserved.” Tribal members gathered with their community in a tribute featuring prayers, songs, and offerings.