Spooning a Bear: The Misadventures of a Wildlife Biologist and the Unforgettable Life Lessons Learned

by Daryl Ratajczak

If you think having a bad day at the office is spilling a hot cup of coffee on your lap, try starting your day by losing a black bear cub. Like literally..."Oh crap, I just lost a black bear cub!" That's what life was like for Daryl Ratajczak an aspiring wildlife biologist who was thrown into the world of rescuing orphaned or injured wild black bear cubs. Working for a small non-profit black bear rehab center outside of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Daryl had an adventurous beginning to his career. As the first full-time manager of the soon-to-be Appalachian Bear Rescue, it turns out the bears taught him more about life than he ever could have imagined. These masterful short stories about bears and life as a wildlife biologist are not only true but end up teaching us valuable lessons about how we should live our everyday lives.

192 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 30, 2022

Reviews

[Rebekah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book, and I’m extremely grateful for people like Daryl in the world who not only help rescue and rehabilitate wildlife but educate the public on unintentional harm.

[Virginia S Hutchison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Required Reading

This collection of short stories is a must read. You’ll laugh and cry while reading Daryl’s words and most importantly you will learn. Please respect our wildlife and each other. And, I hope he writes some children’s books soon.

[Wendy Leonard-Richardson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book to be fun yet educational.

[Missy Cunningham · Rating 5 out of 5]

I finished this some time ago on Audio. Great educational
Book about living with bears !

[Robin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book with interesting stories of bears and educational too. Some of the stories had me laughing, others had me tearing up. If you like bears it is a must read.