Two students from Cornell University in the United States (US) are under scrutiny after reportedly killing and skinning a young black bear inside a campus residence hall.
The students, who have not been identified, brought the bear to Ganedago Hall, an undergraduate dorm on the university’s North Campus, on Saturday (6 Sept).
Inside the hall, they proceeded to skin the animal and package its meat.
The incident prompted complaints from fellow residents.
According to Cornell University officials, an official complaint was filed with the Cornell University Police Department on Sunday (7 Sept) evening.
A police report was reportedly created, though no charges have been filed, according to USA Today.
Source: @Gingerroot775 on X
A photo posted on social media shows the partially skinned bear carcass on a table inside what appears to be one of the building’s shared kitchens, covered by a camouflage-patterned tarp.
In a statement to The Ithaca Voice, Cornell confirmed that the students were hunting license holders and had killed the bear lawfully.
The university added that the students had brought the animal to the residence hall for processing.
Cornell’s Student Code of Conduct does not appear to specifically address the transportation and processing of animal carcasses, nor the storage of raw meat.
Source: Cornell University
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), which oversees the state’s hunting regulations, confirmed that the bear was killed legally.
A DEC spokesperson revealed that an investigation was conducted, and no violations were found.
The bear was reportedly killed in Region 4 of New York State, where the bear hunting season is set to begin on 1 Oct.
However, early hunting is permitted in the Catskill Mountains from 6 to 21 Sept, as long as no cubs are targeted.
A photo obtained by The Ithaca Voice also shows a refrigerator filled with raw meat packed into ziplock freezer bags, though it is unclear whether the meat is from the bear or another source.
The Cornell University Police Department has not responded to requests for comment, and the department’s daily crime log has not yet been updated to reflect the incident.
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Featured image adapted from @Gingerroot775 on X and Cornell University.