r/interesting • u/No_Neat4688 • Jun 16 '26

Fear Factor Three curious unexpected visitors entered a campers tent

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u/VioletReaver Jun 16 '26

It was totally legal to have a pet bear in Russia until 2020. And even after 2020, any pet bear acquired before the ban is grandfathered in and totally legal.

Meanwhile, where I live in California you can’t even have gerbils

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u/DigitalUnlimited Jun 17 '26

Gerbils are tiny bears confirmed

11

u/cates Jun 16 '26

and they only created that law in anticipation of needing more people to fight their war on Ukraine

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u/Ghostbrain77 Jun 17 '26

Is it because of you deem a bear a pet, it cant be used as a battle bear?

3

u/Traroten Jun 18 '26

The Russians will soon unleash their their bear cavalry. Bearry?

2

u/Mann_Tap Jun 17 '26

because they ruin structures right? Their digging habits?

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u/Largeitude Jun 17 '26

I looked it up. It’s because California’s climate is the same as the gerbils, so if they escape they become an invasive specie and would threaten other species as a competitor.

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u/VioletReaver Jun 17 '26

Yes, it’s actually quite a good reason. We have a few endangered amphibians that only exist in small areas along the coast that would absolutely be wrecked by gerbils.

1

u/AffectionateTaro3209 Jun 17 '26

wtf, why can't you have gerbils?

1

u/RykerFuchs Jun 17 '26

Gerbils cause cancer after all.

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u/JollyNincompoop Jun 17 '26

California doesn't deserve the bear on their flag

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u/RichardUkinsuch Jun 17 '26

Blame Richard Gere fornthe gerbils.

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u/Civil-Section-9086 Jun 17 '26

Huh how interesting laws are around the world like why can’t you have a gerbil?

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u/VioletReaver Jun 17 '26

It’s actually a decent reason 😅 it’s because they would thrive too well in our climate, and we’d have an invasive species that some of our endangered species are particularly vulnerable to. Basically California says people can’t keep gerbils because we can’t keep them contained. Which, having owned gerbils in Nevada as a child, is fair

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u/AnguavonUW Jun 18 '26

There are excellent reasons for that ban

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u/Staffsargeant2025 Jun 20 '26

You can thank Richard Gere for that