>>484385He was insane, but admirable; a sort of Dian Fossey figure. He clearly had mental issues that were not helped at all by his long exposures in the wild and isolation from other people. He was delusional and really did believe that he was one with nature, but his human sense of charity and kindness prevented him from truly living amongst the bears. He refused to be rough on the bears, such as carrying a pistol or bear mace, even when the world that these creatures inhabited, the world that he was attempting to join, necessitated a certain level of violence.
That said, he had a God-given gift with animals. Foxes would run up to him, and he was able to survive for 12 summers surrounded by man-eating kodiaks. Not only that, but he was passionate about wildlife conservation and getting kids interested in nature. These things are admirable. I think that if he had left when he planned, or at least carried bear-mace, then Timothy Treadwell would still be alive today.
