Hugging a bear, which sounds dangerous, is an actual job in New Mexico

Published March 17, 2023 at 5:52 AM EDT

SACHA PFEIFFER, HOST:

Good morning. I'm Sacha Pfeiffer.

You have heard of bear hugs. How about hugging a bear? That's an actual job in New Mexico. The state is hiring professional bear huggers. The listing says, quote, "must have the ability to hike in strenuous conditions and the courage to crawl into a bear den," and, "PS - we do not recommend crawling into bear dens." The official job title is conservation officer and does involve cuddling cubs, but, sorry, only for research. It's MORNING EDITION. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.

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