That Time I Was on Jimmy Kimmel

Ya’ll I’ve done it. I’ve arrived.

Back in my bear management days in Yosemite I was filmed all. the. time by visitors. One day an actress must have been in the crowd and she thought to show the video on Jimmy Kimmel Live! So here I am, chasing a bear away from a crowded area. Start watching at 3:29 and behold my 15 minutes of fame.

Oh and the device I’m carrying is a radio telemetry transceiver; it detects the frequency the bear’s collar emits. That’s how I’m “listening to the bear.”

I told a new friend about my old job and she said I was being “mean to the bears.” In this video I am “hazing” the bear, i.e., providing negative stimulus to discourage the bear from hanging around a busy area. It is always in wildlife’s best interest to be afraid of crowds of people; this is how truly wild animals behave. When large animals become habituated to humans (and especially their food) they can become aggressive/nuisance animals that have to be euthanized for public safety. What can seem like a “mean” thing to do on the outside is really an essential tool to keep bears wild and alive. It is the nicest thing I could have possibly done for that bear in that situation.