Not taking any person's side or opinion here as that would be discourteous and wrong. However, it seems as if the thread as gone off at a tangent and may be time to bury the hatchet on this.
If I may and this is only my opinion and I stand to be corrected if I am wrong of off target here.
Bears are in general both hunters and scavengers and, like most animals and some plants, the same applies. The BBC state in their Nature website: "Scavengers are those carnivorous animals that eat carrion (already dead animals) rather than hunting fresh meat for themselves. Some scavengers, such as African vultures, rely wholly on what they can get this way. Others, such as lions or wolves, are opportunistic scavengers and while they won't pass up a free meal, prefer to hunt their own prey. It's a surprise to many that even some herbivorous species, such as hippos and pandas, are known to scavenge carrion now and then."
& "In spite of their reputation as cowardly scavengers, spotted hyenas are actually highly interesting and intelligent animals. They are efficient hunters that can bring down such large animals as buffalos and zebras. Powerful teeth and jaws enable them to crush and consume bones to get to the nutritious marrow, before the stomach's highly concentrated hydrochloric acid helps digest the bone. Spotted hyenas are often seen in female-dominated territorial groups called clans, in which all males are subordinate to all females. Males leave the clan when they reach adulthood, but females tend to stay and inherit their mother's rank." [
www.bbc.co.uk/nature/adaptations/scavenger]
Humans are or were hunters but as we all know that over time humans have most in-part lost the art to hunt, so does that mean they have become scavengers? No; as humans like many other animals adapt, they use what is around them and, if that means hunt or scavenge then that is what happens. Example: Those who live in the slums, unable to fend, feed and have finance, those people will scavenge to survive. Whereas, those who live in regions where survival by means of hunting is the mainstay, such as those north of the Artic, then hunting prevals. Likewise for most animals as the ability to hunt, kill and to scavenge is all there. Plants also doe this. When trees fall, plants etc "hunt" for the best place, the best light in order to survive and, there are plants etc that scavenge. Everything is relative to it's own proximity, and some times the use of symantics, language, prose, grammar can all carry us astray, that includes myself. Likewise, there are NO "experts" here or anywhere, just some people who have more, greater or better experience but not the best. What was your best today is someone else's best tomorrow.
As for the subject of South Lakes, my own opinion, which even after being to the park and having many run-in's with the owner and some others, is still my own opinion. Personally, the park inflates itself on ego and bravado, misleading data and information. The use of mix-exhibits are at best misguided, the use of the land is poor, poor enclosures and some off the cuff enrichment. There are many better animal collections within the UK and there are some very poor ones too.
Again, it would be very polite and cordial that some members stop bickering. Let US all enjoy the fruits and labours of this brilliant web-site and lets ask for some calm, collective and good comments. Afterall, we are all here to learn.
