Ep 4. Last Call
- July 1, 2010
- 19 min
The show Bear Whisperer follows renowned bear expert Steve Searles as he helps residents of Mammoth Lakes, California coexist with the local bear population. In season 1 episode 4, titled Last Call, Searles faces a challenging case with a group of bears who have become accustomed to foraging in a local restaurant's dumpster.
As the episode begins, Searles speaks with the owner of a local diner who has been struggling with bears constantly raiding his trash. Despite Searles' efforts, the bears keep coming back, causing damage and disrupting the community. Searles is determined to find a solution and decides to set up trail cameras to monitor the bears' behavior.
Through the trail cameras, Searles observes the bears getting bolder and more aggressive as they become more reliant on the restaurant's trash. In one particularly concerning moment, a mother bear and her cubs are seen breaking into the restaurant's back door, posing a danger to both the bears and the restaurant's staff.
Searles realizes that it is time to take action. He teams up with local law enforcement and enforces strict penalties for anyone caught feeding the bears. He also sets up a live bear trap outside the restaurant in hopes of catching the most habitual offenders.
Throughout the episode, Searles shares his knowledge about black bears, their behavior, and how to safely coexist with them. He explains that bear-human conflicts are often caused by humans not properly securing their trash and other attractants, causing bears to become reliant on human food sources.
As the episode progresses, Searles' efforts prove successful. The live trap catches the most aggressive bears, and Searles safely relocates them to a more remote area. Without access to the restaurant's trash, the remaining bears begin to move on and forage elsewhere.
In the end, Searles reflects on the importance of responsible human behavior when living in bear country. He reminds viewers that bears are not to be feared but respected and that learning to coexist with them is crucial to their survival and ours.
Overall, Last Call is an educational and engaging episode of Bear Whisperer that highlights the complex relationship between humans and black bears in a suburban environment. With expert guidance from Steve Searles, viewers learn practical tips for reducing human-bear conflicts and promoting safe coexistence.