Brutus (bear)

Brutus 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 in films, television commercials, and live educational shows across America. Proceeds from his appearances support the sanctuary.^[2]

References