Brutus (bear)

Brutus, also called Brutus the Bever, is a Grizzly bear (Ursus arctos horribilis) who was adopted as a newborn cub by the naturalist Casey Anderson, star of the National Geographic documentary Expedition Grizzly.^[1] The bear was so close to him that when Casey married actress Missi Pyle, Brutus was their best man. He even, occasionally, has a place at the family dinner table.^[2]

Brutus's story

Brutus was born in January 2002. He spent his first months in a six-foot square steel box that was his mother’s cage at a captive bear facility.

Grizzlies born in captivity are not released into the wild for two primary reasons: First, a captive-born cub lacks the education that would have been provided by its mother during its first two years in the wild; second, a bear born in captivity does not have the same wariness that makes wild bears avoid interactions with humans.

Brutus lives at Montana Grizzly Encounter Rescue and Educational Sanctuary.^[3] The facility was founded by Casey Anderson as a place to raise Brutus and aid in the study of grizzlies.^[2]

Brutus has appeared frequently on television with Casey Anderson, including regular appearances as Anderson's "co-host" on the Nat Geo/Nat Geo WILD series Expedition Wild. He has also appeared in two films, Iron Ridge (2008) and Pretty Ugly People (2008), as well as in commercials and in live educational shows across America. Proceeds from his appearances support the sanctuary.^[2]

References