For the past several years, Don Redfoot has been using trail cameras to monitor wildlife living in the woods around his home in Montana — giving him an intimate look into the lives of local animals. But his cameras have captured more than just their comings
and goings.
At the suggestion of a friend, Redfoot decided to place a large teddy bear named Eric in view of the camera to see how animals would react to it.
This year, a young black bear discovered his plush counterpart in the forest — and the pair seem to have struck up an unlikely friendship:
Rather than tear up the teddy, as some animals have done to former iterations of Eric, this bear appears to simply want to cuddle and play.
Over the past few months, he’s been returning to the spot where Eric hangs out.
“Perhaps the most interesting thing I've seen on my trail cams about bears is their playfulness and curiosity,” Redfoot told The Dodo.
Other animals pass by the teddy, too, but none seem quite as interested.
As an advocate for peaceful cohabitation with bears, Redfoot has sought reassurance from experts that having Eric there wouldn’t be problematic.
“The one concern they had wasn't about how the teddy bears affected bear behavior, but how it can affect human behavior,” Redfoot said. “When people see the bears as playful and ‘cuddly,’ they start doing stupid things like approaching the bears or feeding them.”
Bears can enjoy teddy bears like Eric, but they should remain wary of people.
There's a good chance that Eric the teddy bear will need to be replaced after so much snuggling, and that little bear he befriended will one day move on. But these adorable glimpses at their time spent together in the wild are something that Redfoot won't forget.
"It’s been a source of entertainment and education for me," he said.
