Bear Whisperer officially a mini series

Looks like Blondie but he’s not. This bear is only two and half and is male. He was hanging out at Sierra Star on Friday playing with the ducks. (Photo: Kirkner)

Local bear man Steve Searles told The Sheet that contracts with LMNO and Discovery Channel, which owns Animal Planet, were officially signed last Friday, which means the Bear Whisperer has become a mini series. There will be at least three more one-hour episodes of the show with the possibility of six if the ratings are good.

If ratings are really good then the show could eventually become weekly, according to Searles.

In addition to his regular gig as Mammoth’s Wildlife Specialist, which has him out on calls every day, Searles is out filming the bears who have emerged from hibernation, but “aren’t in that rut yet,” he said.

According to the man now known as a bear wrangler, at the beginning of bear season and at the very end are the best times to film or photograph the animals.

“Right now they’re not worried about eating, they’re just drinking water,” Searles said. “Toward the end of the fall they are full and aren’t looking for food either. But at the height of the summer it’s crazy.”

Even though there are several episodes of the Bear Whisperer “in the can” according to Searles, the new episodes won’t air until January.