Famous Bears
A Quick Guide to Some Beloved Famous Bears
Famous bears are few and far between, as the art of taming and training them for such rigorous feats as movie production are gifts reserved for a scant few special people. Bart the Bear, perhaps one of our most beloved and missed famous bears, starred and played major supporting rolls in over 100 feature films during his happy-go-lucky life. Working along side the likes of Brad Pitt in the movie Legends of the Fall, Dan Akroid in The Great Outdoors, and a pivotal role in the emotional and informative blockbuster The Bear, Bart was one of those famous bears who did as much for his kind as he did for us. The Seus’s, who adopted Bart from a zoo when he was only 5 pounds, have dedicated their entire lives to the humane and gentle raising and training of wild creatures, meanwhile enforcing public awareness and education about the true natures and ecological uncertainties of the animals that they share with the world.
Famous bears throughout history also include Smokey the Bear, who is most commonly known in his cartoon form, but who was actually based on a real grizzly bear. Helping to prevent forest fires for more than 35 years, Smokey the Bear is still a fascination and role model to young children. Conservation efforts have been vastly promising due to the personification of such beautiful creatures as the bear, and these types of catchy spokes animals will continue to be used for the propagation of human acceptance and respect of the wilds around them.
Another set of famous bears are those found in cola commercials, the cuddly, adorable baby polar bears with their mother. Of course, these bears are not nearly as cuddly in real life as they are portrayed to be in those commercials, as polar bears are the only species known to actively hunt humans as a food source. But we must take into account the harsh and unfriendly climate that these beautiful creatures call home, and the fact that any opportunistic meal is most welcome, and often necessary.
Bart the Bear is not the last of the famous bears that we will see from Mr. and Mrs. Seus, as Bart’s cubs have already begun to make their marks on the cinematic world. Aside form bears, this couple also trains and rehabilitates wolves, coyotes, skunks, cougars, raccoons, and just about any other misunderstood creature on the face of the planet. These special people were with their beloved Bart as his life ebbed peacefully away at the age of 23, and they were blessed with the gift of his love and devotion through every one of those years. Famous bears have an awful to teach every one of us, if only we’re willing to accept their wisdom.