In an effort to protect both the human and bear populations in the state of Florida, the sheriff’s office has issued a warning against taking selfies with “depressed” bears.
Yes, you read that right. Apparently, some people in Florida have been coming across bears that appear to be down in the dumps, and instead of leaving them alone to deal with their emotions in peace, they’ve decided to snap a quick photo for Instagram.
The sheriff’s office has rightfully pointed out that not only is this kind of behavior dangerous for humans (because, hello, wild animals are not meant to be cuddled and posed with), but it’s also incredibly harmful to the bears themselves.
“These bears are already dealing with enough just by living in the wild,” said Sheriff John Smith. “They don’t need to also be bombarded with camera flashes and forced to put on a sad face for social media.”
The warning comes after a particularly tragic incident last month, in which a group of tourists in a national park attempted to take a group selfie with a bear that appeared to be in a “sorrowful” state. The bear, likely feeling overwhelmed by the activity and attention, ended up swiping at one of the tourists and causing a few injuries.
But apparently, some people just can’t resist the allure of a good selfie. And if that means harassing a wild animal that’s trying to deal with its own mental health struggles, then so be it.
“I just wanted to get a cute picture with a bear that looked like it needed a hug,” said one woman who was caught violating the sheriff’s office’s request. “What’s so wrong with that?”
Well, for starters, bears are not emotional support animals. They don’t exist to make us feel better about ourselves or our lives. And while it may be tempting to try to “cheer up” a sad-looking animal with some likes on social media, the reality is that these creatures are living, breathing creatures with complex emotional lives of their own.
So the next time you come across a bear that looks like it’s in a funk, the best thing you can do is give it some space and let it work through its emotions in peace. Because no matter how good that selfie might look on your profile, it’s never worth risking your own safety or the health and well-being of these majestic animals.
