Great Smoky Mountains National Park Podcasts & Blog

Thanks to the bravery of 75th Anniversary Coordinator, Ann Froschauer, we have these wonderful photos of the even braver wildlife ranger, Dan Nolfi, examining a bear he’d captured after the bear become overly interested in eating human food.

The poor girl weighed just 70 pounds and had a low body fat (not as healthy for a bear as it is for humans). The bear was instructed to stay away from the junk food and then was released back in the area where she was captured.

The bear is sedated so she can be handled. Then, because it’s hot outside, she’s taken indoors — bears have trouble regulating their temperature while “under the influence” of the anesthetic dart. Here Dan is measuring her.

While she snoozes, Dan teaches Bobby Watson, a wildlife Student Conservation Association intern, about bears.

Dan talks to Brad Dodson, a fisheries ranger, about the bear.

Look at those claws…so close to Dan’s face. Hope he gave her enough sleeping medicine.

Here’s the official weigh-in.

Just another day in the office for a wildlife ranger in Great Smoky Mountains National Park.