I think part of the public response is that the wild bear and deer populations here in NJ are simply out of control. We are densely habitated suburbs that look completely urban, but north-central NJ towns are the only place I ever see wild deer, and yes bears, foraging for food in town parks and on town streets. I don't go a day without seeing a live deer or small group as I run errands. Their last natural habitat in hills has been built up with housing in the Suburban Sprawl of the last 20 years, and there is simply little uninhabited land left where they can go. I travel to rural parts of PA and MD regularly, but the only place I ever see these wild animals is in the suburbs west of NYC. And now we have a governor who has outlawed bear hunting, which has resulted in no way to control the population and increasing numbers of bears in suburban towns. I could be wrong--I live two counties from Essex County--but I have a feeling that frustration with the ever-increasing bear population and encounters with humans in towns has spilled over onto this habitat expansion. It's something along the lines of "We are being overrun by wild bear and can see them all too often in our daily lives! Why on Earth should we spend millions of dollars to make better habitats for three zoo bears when we should be using that money to address the serious problem and dangers of overpopulation?" This is more than a reaction to activists when the entire governing board is unanimous in vetoing the proposal.
Thanks for the confirmation, @Ebirah766 !
