The Bear Den

About The Bear Den

THE BEAR DEN PODCAST Join host, Philip Stubley, long-time volunteer and board member, in this series which lifts the lid on the American Bear Association (ABA), the Vince Shute Wildlife Sanctuary and talk all about our favourite subject – bears. The series details the formation of the ABA, and also spotlights bear species, and organizations making a difference around the world! The series details the formation of the ABA, who we are and why we do what we do. Listener’s will go on a journey dating back 100 years as we trace the ABA’s origins and detail the colourful, and sometimes controversial, life of Vince Shute. Along the way there will be many stories featuring colourful characters, both human and bear. There are interviews and contributions from key players ranging from ABA founders, staff and volunteers. Among other things, episodes will cover the sanctuary’s recent radio collar program and potential future volunteers and interns will also gain insight into the volunteer experience. Beyond the sanctuary we talk about bear conservation, bear behaviours, myth and misconceptions, and bear safety, including a chat with a wildlife biologist who survived a grizzly bear attack. Philip also talks about his experience working sun bears and invites friends from different organizations into the Bear Den to discuss all eight bear species and MORE. This series is for people who have never heard of the ABA and for those who are familiar and want to know more. It’s for anyone interested in wildlife, history and remarkable stories!

Publisher

American Bear Association

Category

education · history · society & culture

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

26 Jan 2025

Latest episode

28 Jul 2026

Latest episodes

41 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   28 Jul 2026

   Episode 40 - Eight Bears: A Chat with Environmental Journalist & Author Gloria Dickie

   Episode 40 – Eight Bears: A Chat with Environmental Journalist & Author Gloria Dickie Surprise! Depending on when you’re listening to this, we wrapped up our season a few weeks ago, but we have a SPECIAL BONUS episode for you, as this only came together also a few weeks ago. Philip welcomes Gloria Dickie, author of the book Eight Bears onto the podcast, and they discuss conservation and her global journey researching the world’s eight remaining bear species. Gloria talks about her background, writing process and the witnessing Asiatic black bears in bile farms, as well as positive experiences visiting... Read more

2. 

   30 Jun 2026

   Episode 39 - Teddies, Threads & Teachings

   Episode 39 – Teddies, Threads & Teachings In the last episode of this series, Philip reflects on what we have heard in previous episodes identifying the similarities and differences between bear species, as well as recurring threads and themes. We also explore the origins of the Teddy bear, and Colton Galusha, a third generation ABA volunteer, talks to us about what the sanctuary means to his family. Finally we hear some Native American teachings from Ojibwe academic, Dr. Anton Treur. Join us for a packed episode! What will you do to make a difference today? LINKS: Read more

3. 

   23 Jun 2026

   Episode 38 - Helping Bears Live With People: A Chat with Wildlife Biologist & Founder of Bear-ier Solutions, Heather Reich

   Episode 38 – Helping Bears Live With People: A Chat with Wildlife Biologist & Founder of Bear-ier Solutions, Heather Reich In this episode Philip is joined by Heather Reich, a career wildlife biologist with a deep-rooted passion for solving human-wildlife conflict. She is also the founder of Bear-ier Solutions which produce electric bear mats designed as a non-lethal deterrent to give residents of bear country a simple, effective way to protect their homes and families while reducing the chances of bears getting into trouble. Heather’s mission is rooted in prevention: empowering the public with tools that make homes less... Read more

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

YouTube views

3,558

Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

4 ratings

Spotify

4.9 / 5

19 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 53 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

66

Social presence

0

YouTube

68

Engagement

32