I Can’t Bear to Look

First the good news:  Your job lets you cuddle with fuzzy wuzzy bear cubs.  Now for the “uh-oh” part:  You have to track down their mom across the snows of Maine, get her sedated (at least five Brandy Alexanders), give her and the kids a physical, and wrap it all up before the drugs wear off.  Sound like fun?

More photos and story about the Maine Bear Monitoring program here, hat tip to sender-inner Jackie.

129 comments … read them below or add one

  1. hlaode says:

    Still worth it imo

  2. Meaghan says:

    I think they would have to drag me away from the precious bearsies, kicking and screaming, begging for “just one more snorgle.”

  3. Lerrinus says:

    Peenk nosicles! Beep and beep!

  4. Trez4400 says:

    must have close up on pink nosicles!

  5. SarahP says:

    A-a-a-a-SPLODE!

  6. chanpon says:

    Can we get a tongue-hance there? Baby bear, cuddle me, cuddle me!!

  7. T.U.M. says:

    They look more like pigs than bears!

  8. Dragonflye says:

    The ears in pic#2 are adorable.

    Want.

    To.

    Touch.

  9. gravyboat says:

    What the heck is a Brandy Alexander?

  10. 260Oakley says:

    Mmm, two bearclaws and a snorggle to go. The breakfast of champions.

  11. Theresa says:

    Brandy Alexander

    1 1/2 oz brandy
    1 oz dark creme de cacao
    1 oz half-and-half
    1/4 tsp grated nutmeg

    In a shaker half-filled with ice cubes, combine the brandy, creme de cacao, and half-and-half. Shake well. Strain into a cocktail glass and garnish with the nutmeg.

  12. MadameX says:

    Click the link! Click the link!!!!!!!

    Anerabuhls bebeh bearlets and Mommah bear!

  13. Leilani says:

    I learned something new today: Baby bears have pink noses!!! Whodathunkit???

  14. MadameX says:

    Brandy Alexander – the 50s (and 60s) “lady drink” par excellance

  15. fearthebear says:

    OH MY GOD! Follow the link, 5 up from the bottom, a super close up of one of the cubs with its eyes closed and its little pink lip stuck out saying “kiss me, KISS ME!”

    *thud*

    *ded*

    possibly forever

  16. Blondie says:

    Babies! BEEP! BEEP! I want to hug them and squeeze them and call them George…

  17. Typo Tat says:

    Those bear cubs might look all fuzzy wuzzy, but damn, some wicked claws they have!

  18. Blondie says:

    OMG – I clicked on the link. I CLICKED ON THE LINK!!!

    *splode* *ded*

  19. Mina says:

    I think the best pic of all was on the website: http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3350/3328571856_695c9748c8_o.jpg

    PBT!

  20. Saffron says:

    BEEP! BEEP!
    Little toothless mouths! Soon they will grow large teeth to nom with.
    The link has more awesome photos of cubs, mom-bear and the wonderful staff of the program.

  21. Gigi says:

    Come to me little bearsies wearsies, I have pick-a-nick baskets for you.

  22. Theresa says:

    PS YES, do click the link and scroll down, and see poor sweet, sleepy Mama Bear. :D

  23. Theresa says:

    PPS: Beep, and beep!

  24. Oh what sweet little nostriches and tongueses and clawzes!!!

    @Mina: That was such a sweet little picture. What a little goof with that tongue sticking out!

  25. doggabone says:

    Being reminded that there are programs like this at work always brightens my day – but I’ve just had an “awwww overdose”, I’d better read the news or something grim to balance out the rainbows with the right amount of *bleh*, or I won’t function today. It’s just too much two bear!

    Also, more info at http://www.beartodream.org/facts.html – which might be the cutest web address I’ve ever seen.

  26. fft5305 says:

    OMG SO CUTE!!

  27. Pebble says:

    aww.. they’re so cute.. the tiny bears and the fake-mommy ^^

  28. Cheryl Robinson-Atwood says:

    Awwww!! Baby bear feet! Click the link-and say a prayer for the folks who stick their heads into those dens to tranquilize the mama bears. Still, to get a chance to cuddle the little ones-totally worth the risk! (BTW, get that poor girl some hand cream!)

  29. ceejoe says:

    that poor mama bear is going to wake up thinking she had some mighty weird dreams.

  30. kittykye says:

    Ooch! Lookit the scritches on the person’s hands in that first one. I always have teh babeh kitteh ones on mine… but babeh bearses? Meowch! Those are loooong claws!
    All worth it though. The tongues! The tongues! I second a “-hance” on them!

  31. Baby bears that small aren’t cute to me. >_<'

  32. They are so cute, it hurts my body. :)

  33. Amanda says:

    No noisicle close ups?????

  34. Katiedid says:

    Awwww he’s dreaming of picnic baskets and bee hives filled with honey!

  35. LovesDogs says:

    Pink baby bear lips and tongues — oh, my!

  36. Katrina says:

    Better than tv.

    Theresa- when I could drink, I was fond of a sloe gin fizz-now that is a ladies drink! The Brady Alexander sounds just wonderful, please, someone, have one for me, ok? Do tell me about it, I want to live vicariously.

  37. ceejoe says:

    sending blessings and heartfelt thanks to the wonderful people that do that type of work,
    as I sit here on my @ss in front of my desk all day in my nice comfy office chair with my warm little foot heater on…

  38. Rachael says:

    Totally and completely worth the risk for that experience and those memories. Oh, dose bebehs and their leetle pink tongueses!

    God bless the people who are willing and able to do that. <3

  39. Ahhhh… I want one of those as long as they don’t get big and scary!

  40. January says:

    Did you see the one when he is climbing into the den to sedate the bear? The bear probably didn’t like being dragged out to be health checked. Maybe it will all seem like a nightmare next Spring. Hiberate in peace bears.

  41. Gigi says:

    Looking at these pictures makes me want to quit my job, join the tracking pack and hold bear cubs all day long.

  42. Zuzzie says:

    I want that job…

  43. Von Zeppelin says:

    I’m remembering a “Far Side” cartoon about the careless man getting into a crowded elevator only to find that he had inadvertently stepped between a mother bear and her cubs.

    By the way, I always thought “Brandy Alexander” would have been a great name for an ass-kicking, sexy female detective in a 70s

  44. Von Zeppelin says:

    oops– supposed to say “. . . in a 70s TV show.”

  45. Irene Suwarno says:

    I really want to hold them…

  46. OMG. I feel like I’ve just been hit with a 2×4 made of Qte. And the little family portrait! (But poor mama, what a bad trip!)

  47. Katrina says:

    “…a 2×4 made of cute” – I have to use that soon, may I? Niiiice, Bryn Greenwood!

  48. 260Oakley says:

    Har har, Von Zepp. Maybe Brandy Alexander’s surly partner could be a guy called Whiskey Sour.

  49. Jon says:

    My favorite pic when you click on the link is the red-bearded guy holding the behbeh bear by the scruff of his neck!

  50. ButtaRumCake says:

    *scrubs SarahP & Blondie off the ceiling*

    Good grief….I forgot to stuff the smelling sal……

    *THUD*

  51. Nikki says:

    I’m curious. After the mama bear wakes up and smells that humans have been in her den, will she move the cubs to a new den? Does anyone know what happens?

  52. Oh Dear God I went to the link those are the cutest babies I have ever seen… I may never recover from that…. sooooo cute!

  53. Lee says:

    I agree with Nikki, I wonder what will happen when the mom smells humans, will she reject them? Not smart of the woman in the pic to hold the cubs without protection.

  54. Neena says:

    “Are you my mummy?”

    OK. So it doesn’t totally reference the bears, but the second photo kind of does with “You’re not my mommy”. (It’s a great BBC show though).

  55. Wicked says:

    They’ve been doing this project for quite a while – do you really think they would keep doing it if everytime they handled the cubs the mother rejected them? Do you think that?

    The cuteness, the tiny noses and the big claws – ADORABELLE!

  56. Neena says:

    Oh. Haha. So if you click on my name it will take you there too. Here is what I’M referencing http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tI_nVYjlYFs&feature=related

  57. Lilitu says:

    They’re so teensy! Teensy and smushable!

  58. skippymom says:

    Ooh, click the link and check out picture 10 with the soles of the cub’s feets. Cute or creepy! (pretty girl, too!)

  59. wuyizidi says:

    @Nikki – no need to worry. Note in the linked page they’re replacing the collar on the mama bear. So they’ve been at this for a while and should’ve figured things like that out already. Besides, how much smell will still linger after several month in the snow?

  60. wuyizidi says:

    @skippymom: creepy but still cute, that ought to be the new rule of cuteness for babies of gigantic predator species. Just imagine what a friendly, playful swipe from those paws would do to your face when they grow up.

  61. SparklePaw says:

    They make my heart hurt real bad.

  62. Joseph Five says:
  63. Rooanne says:

    I have spent waaay too much time looking at the pics and the site…. wow. I would totally take the risk with mama bear, and stritches on the hands (which I have anyway from cat & bunny). Amazing animals. I can totally see myself up in woods of Maine, tromping in the snow, wearing my LL Bean gear….

  64. zeldapie says:

    THEENK PEENK!!!

  65. I am posting this picture from the floor, because after I saw it I fell down ded: http://www.flickr.com/photos/25784933@N08/3328572840/

  66. Monterri says:

    Should have known that Goldilocks would prefer the little bear…

  67. Sasha's mum says:

    For a great video on bear tagging, check this out: http://www.cbc.ca/video/#/ID=1237346640

    It’s from the Rick Mercer show. It might be geoblocked outside of Canada, I’m not sure.

  68. Sasha's mum says:

    Here’s the same video as above, but via YouTube so won’t be geoblocked.

  69. Karen says:

    So tiny and cute! Precious!

  70. resriechan says:

    a-H-EM!!!!!!

    Perhaps a “ResQte” Tag???????

    Carry on!

  71. Hi there , that is very cute :) . S.J.

  72. Monterri says:

    Is it not funny that the youngest critters always have their eyes closed ? After all, this site
    -is- rated PG-13.

    Good little bears!

  73. Nekussa says:

    I think mama bear’s going to wake up having been convinced that she was visited by aliens performing medical experiments… ;)

  74. This is Sato says:

    Oh my God, I want them!!

  75. marisa says:

    ohhh this is the cutist pic ever!!!!!!!!!!

  76. crazyweinerdoglady says:
  77. Whamocat says:

    How many bears do you think tell other bears about being abducted, and how many of the other bears do you think are totally skeptical?

  78. Ellen W. says:

    I love the wee babies. They are so sweet. I hereby submit my humble services as an baby-bear cuddler.

    And I don’t want to nuff- but I really think it’s impolite of the rangers to get the mommy sloshed and then post embarrassing pictures of her on the internet all facebook-style .
    (I’m making a joke, please don’t yell at me!)

  79. Wend says:

    OMGosh… I clicked the link… a WARNING would have been nice! At least a hint to have a towel nearby, to wipe up the puddle that used to be me, pre bebe-bear-morsel pics.
    Hard typing with melted hands, BTW.

  80. Argyle Donkeypants says:

    @ Ellen W: LOLZ!!!1!!

  81. Nana says:

    This is a wonderful thing, and not just because we gets to see the bebees! I hope this will all just seem like a fleeting bad dream to the bears when they wake up properly next spring.

  82. crazyweinerdoglady says:

    http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v142/ilovemyleo/JamieandBears.jpg

    Be jealous all! This is me with baby bears… oh and they STINK lol

  83. Illise says:

    Bear cubs!!! so freaking cute

  84. 東海 生タコ, 韓国刺身 says:

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    韓国では、刺身をわさびじょうゆのほか、チョコチュジャンといわれる酢味噌につけて食べたり、
    特製だれとともに葉野菜で巻いて食べたりします。このお店でも、香ばしいオリジナルの特製だれが刺身とともに出され、
    本場韓国の食べ方で刺身が味わえます。

  85. wow! very lovely nice picture. But am scared through they are cute…

  86. Nice!

  87. rara says:

    very funny,………………….!!!! ^_*

  88. sunshinelollipop says:

    Different job! sounds very interesting. must be great working with animals!

  89. Marge says:

    Teddy!

  90. Von Zeppelin says:

    Ellen W., I agree about the pictures–very rude. Those pictures will turn up some day when she’s applying for a high-paying, responsible job. At least the game warden people didn’t write rude things on her face in Magic Marker.

  91. Rebecca says:

    I cant believe nobody pointed out the “Bears and Racks”

  92. Queen of Dork says:

    Wow. Those cubs are so sweet! And seepy, seepy, tie, tie. Sometimes I kinda wish I could hibernate for a while.

  93. warlock6 says:

    they are so cute! i saw the same but white ones!!! incrediable!

  94. dewicasgwent says:

    Clearly if you do get to help you should have a very realistic teddy bear so you can do a swap without the experts noticing.

    I think they should at least leave a nice basket of nuts or honeycomb for Mommybear to make up for the sticking a needle and the serious hanggover from the sedative, it is a hyper potent opiod about 10,000 times the strenght of Morphine

  95. Queen of Dork says:

    Yeah, dewi, I hope they leave mama some sort of treat in the den so she can wake up and have breakfast in bed. :)

  96. Miss Jade says:

    omg. baby. bears. eyes. closed. Big, strong men holding tiny critters. ohhh….[Thank Q so much 4 sharing! And there's stuck-out tongue action@ the link! And mama bear w/pretty patches on her chest. And how, how does one locate a bear den in the snow? Grace! That's how!]

    Moderator, cut here if you must, but I must. What virtuous lives the Maine biologist and the Carebear team must live, to be rewarded thusly! They must be close to angels! Akin to saints! To be able to help Mama make it through the winter in good health, and play with her less-than-3lbs-weeks-old babes! OMG! Sleepy bears! This is true, devoted natural resources mgmt! DNR staffers and Maine tax-payers, you just rock!!! Sincerely, Miss Jade.

  97. blair says:

    aside from bleening at the thought of a season of Bears’n'Boobs posts, i’d like to reflect on the fact that there’s a reason baby bears have been symbols of teh qute for over a century

    http://images.google.com/images?q=bear+cubs&sa=X&oi=image_result_group

    they’re it

  98. Ani Reddy says:

    Aww they’re so cute. Those lil cuddles of joy. Happy Thanksgiving!

  99. Daphne Moss says:

    Aww doesn’t begin to cover it…and best job ever!

  100. Bad Witch says:

    Lerrinus said it all and well. Beep beep right backatcha!

  101. WiseJamaican says:

    Those bear cubs are beautiful. Thanks for sharing with us.

  102. Absolutely gorgeous but then again I like the adult bears reminds me of grizzly adams when I was a child on TV

  103. Annie says:

    As a Mainer myself, I take great pleasure in seeing this. Park rangers are my heroes : )

  104. Eugene says:

    They are so pretty ;-)

  105. dancingirja says:

    this makes me want to go “aaaaaaaaaaaawww”

  106. rubber duck says:

    OMG SO TINY!!! http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3304/3327733991_6b28d98579_o.jpg

    You MUST see the full photo set, everyone! I think I made little squeaky noises throughout the page.

  107. Tuf says:

    I didn’t think this would my kind of thing… but those bears are seriously cute!

  108. ChellBellz says:

    Oh my….I want to hold it!

  109. Flower Boy says:

    I think they suit George and Mildred

  110. sininhu says:

    so cute! xD

  111. kthomasitec says:

    Aww, they are just soooooo cute! Hope they do not become extinct. Ban the bear hunting I say.

  112. Emmberrann says:

    Bebebearses!
    How old are the twins? Do they smear Vicks(r) on them so’s Mom doesn’t catch on that they been hangin; out wit’ some non-bear types? I heard that’s how they confuse the Mom’s thinkin’, so she won’t find out. Does anyone know? xo, bebebearses!

  113. sunny says:

    It’s just so cute. :D

  114. FOOTBALL says:

    soooooooooooo cute they look like puppys with long nails. heres something you all know they are so CUTE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  115. pame says:

    oooooh how adorable….enjoy…can I come help?

  116. janete ilic says:

    lindo aki!

  117. dodoBEAR says:

    aww.. so cute. :) I want to hold them.

  118. lasse says:

    ;-) :)

  119. lasse says:

    :D :p :(

  120. lasse says:

    :/

  121. Annaiz Rzepka says:

    OMG, they look so cute, and innocent.. i wonder..
    maybe you should try giving the mother about half bottle of tequila.. (less work, same effects)…

  122. Babs says:

    Adorable godless killing machines.

  123. Rosie says:

    this is the most adorable pic i have seen in a long time!!!!

    (=^;^=)
    kitty!

  124. Madelyn says:

    CUTENESS!

  125. Maren says:

    so cute !!!
    ohhhh !!!
    so süß findet ihr nichh ?
    omg so süß ich würde dess gerne knuddeln bis zum geht nemma !!

  126. laura says:

    übel sweet ich hab die seite auf taff gesen da ham die das überl riesig gezeig

  127. Glen says:

    awwww, that’s just so adorable..

    i would give anything to have a job like hers.. ;)

  128. cuddlebear says:

    awwwww adorable wittle bears

  129. eef says:

    Why? leave theme alone ist evil to disturbe them, how whote you like it when for example Aliens whote come at nicht and anesthetized you , and grab your baby. Leave nature alone.