Two Cornell University students killed a 120-pound black bear and brought it to their dorm where they skinned and butchered its carcass, as first reported by The Cornell Daily Sun on Tuesday. Officials told NBC News Thursday that the two students had “valid New York State hunting licenses” and the bear was killed legally over the weekend.
From backlash to praise
Some on social media have questioned whether the bear was a cub based on its weight.
Adult black bears can range from 90-300 pounds based on regional breed and gender.
Others have criticized the undergraduate students for skinning and butchering the remains in a community area — raising concerns about the spread of disease.
“Really shouldn’t butcher bear meat in a shared space,” one Reddit user wrote. “They’re one of the few remaining trichinosis vectors — and that concrete floor doesn’t look sealed.”
Remarks on Reddit ranged from criticism to praise for the “skill” in which the bear was skinned and butchered.
Investigators find no code violations
Officials said that the students took the animal into a residence hall and processed the bear’s remains on Saturday. A police report was subsequently filed the following day.
An official with the Department of Environmental Conservation, which oversees hunting regulations in New York, made a trip to the university on Sunday but said there were no violations to be found, according to The Sun.
First-floor kitchen was closed
The first-floor kitchen at the residence hall was closed as a result of the skinning and butchering of the animal.
The bear was killed outside of the city of Ithaca, where Cornell is located, according to the DEC.
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