To say he was simply passionate is to offer a great disservice to his memory. As the self-proclaimed guardian of Alaska’s grizzly bears, Treadwell repeatedly immersed himself in the spectacular and untamed domain of the bears. He lived among them, conversed with them, and developed his own personal relationships with each bear. They were his friends and confidants. They were his life’s work. They were his reason to breathe. The grizzlies were his life. Treadwell’s zeal - his ardent fervor – his love could not be contained. He loved these animals.
However, this extreme love blinded him. While Treadwell may have had the best of intentions to shield the grizzlies from the dangers of society, he lost sight of reality in his efforts. Compounded by emotional instability born from a troubled past and failed personal relationships, Treadwell’s love for the grizzlies distorted his vision. At times it seemed that he truly yearned to become a grizzly bear – to shed his human identity and join these great creatures of the North. He plunged into an idealized world of harmony, not a place of very real, guttural danger. Treadwell anthropomorphized the grizzlies to such an extent that the possibility of attack never seemed to be a real idea.
Perhaps it was his repeated trips that bred his fanaticism, his recklessness, and his false sense of security. Yes, Treadwell acknowledged the danger of Alaska, but it is unclear if he truly believed it. He had survived amongst the bears for such a long time that complacency could have emerged. His choices to camp in a risky area and to stay later in the season exemplify this. His emergent distrust and blatant retaliation against authority is also concerning. In fact, he seemed to feel this way towards all humans – towards society. While this also could have been a product of his failed relationships and difficult past, his extended stays amongst the grizzlies must have played a role. Treadwell was paranoid and angry.
Now, it is easy to impose judgment upon Treadwell from this perspective. Was he simply a grizzly fanatic who got what was coming to him? Absolutely not. Treadwell was a son, a friend, and an adventurer. He had tremendous love and was clearly intelligent. He shared his love for the wild and educated the public. He did not die in vain.
Could his story have ended any other way? Yes. Should it have ended any other way? Maybe. Treadwell loved the bears. It almost seems wrong to imagine him ending anywhere else. His home was in the wild. He died for the bears. While martyrdom may be too extreme of a term, his death seems fitting. Treadwell would not have wanted it any other way.
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