Cook Forest Black Bear

Since the days of the 'cave man' the bear has been an almost equal neighbour and competitor on this planet. In skirmishes over territory and food, the bears sometimes won. Ultimately, of course, humans took over virtually everything and soon there was, quite literally, no contest.

A number of tribal peoples through the ages have considered the bear to be sacred (and even 'the Keeper of the Land"). At the end of the 20th century, caring and conscious people have realized that bears have an important place in our wild ecosystems. Even though we have the power to kill every last one, we choose not to do so out of a sense of nobility. This is why the protection of Cook Forest along with its bears is a reflection of all that is best in the human spirit.