In early summer 2022, the bear was captured in a trap and killed. Except for a few parts, its remains were treated as waste and discarded.

When I received the news, a surge of helpless emotions flooded through me—a sensation I still remember vividly.

In regions where people have long coexisted with bears, rituals have existed to honor and mourn them in various forms. Even in the area where this bear once lived, archaeological sites reveal ceremonies where the skulls of hunted bears were laid out and respected.

Following a certain event, I began investigating this particular bear, and soon found myself deeply immersed—drawn in, unable to look away. Over time, it became increasingly difficult to maintain a neutral stance between the bear and the human world that ultimately led to its death.

When I explore the relationship between humans and other living beings, I try to avoid siding with either. I aim to observe without judgment.

Yet despite that intent, my feelings for this bear grew stronger than I had expected. The sorrow I felt over its death was real and deep. As more and more bears like this one are consumed by the flow of human society and vanish—both in body and memory—I feel compelled to offer a personal act of mourning, so they may not be forgotten as mere waste.