The Grizzly Whisperer: Timothy Treadwell’s Tale

Timothy Treadwell was an environmentalist and bear enthusiast. Both his life and tragic death have sparked widespread discussion about the boundaries between humans and nature.

For 13 summers, Treadwell lived among grizzly bears in Alaska’s Katmai National Park.

**Timothy Treadwell photographed with a bear. Image via Dirt.**

During this time, he documented their behaviors, interacted with them closely, and sought to protect them from perceived threats.

His story, which is immortalized in the documentary Grizzly Man, directed by Werner Herzog, is one of deep passion and idealism.

Early Life And Path To The Wilderness

Timothy Treadwell was born Timothy William Dexter on April 29, 1957, in Long Island, New York.

He grew up in a typical middle-class family, the third of five children. In high school, he was a star diver, which gave him a direct path to college through a scholarship.

He attended Bradley University in Illinois, funded by a swimming and diving scholarship.

However, he did not graduate from the school. It is unclear exactly what chain of events occurred, but Treadwell both lost his scholarship and became an alcoholic.

His father says Treadwell lost the role of Woody Boyd to Woody Harrelson on the show Cheers, which led to his alcoholism and loss of scholarship.

Another account claims a tragic accident ended his swimming career, which led to his alcoholism. Regardless, by the time Treadwell was a young adult, his life was spiraling away from his previous plans, his identity in flux.

In Grizzly Man interviews, Treadwell’s parents claim that he was a fairly normal and well-behaved child until he left for college. But while in college, it became clear that he was displeased with his identity.

At times, he lied to his peers, claiming that he was an orphan from a British family or a transplant from Australia. Later, in 1987, he even dropped the last name “Dexter” in favor of “Treadwell,” a name from his mother’s family.

Around the same time that he changed his name, Treadwell suffered from a near-fatal overdose. As he reinvented himself in the wake of overcoming his addictions, Treadwell sought out new experiences.

A close friend persuaded him to travel to Alaska to witness the bears that lived there. Treadwell, who had always loved nature, soon found a new direction for his life in the Alaska wilderness.

A New Calling: Protecting The Grizzlies

Treadwell first visited Alaska in 1989, which also became his first encounter with grizzly bears. He began writing about his experiences with the bears, discovering a profound love for the creatures.

In the wake of his near-death experience and addiction issues, Treadwell found a path to recovery that was tied to the Alaskan bears. He dedicated his life to those bears on the spot.

He spent the next few years continuing to visit the bears, learning about their habits, behaviors, and habitats. By 1992, Treadwell began to spend entire summers at a time in Katmai National Park, buried deep in the Alaskan wilderness.

**Alaska’s Katmai National Park. Photo by Alaska By Design.**

The park was known for having areas densely populated with bears, and Treadwell immersed himself in those areas.

Many wildlife enthusiasts respect the danger of encountering bears, taking necessary precautions and keeping their distance.

While Treadwell did maintain a healthy fear, he also allowed himself to get close to bears he trusted. He set up camp near Hallo Bay on the Katmai coast, in an area he called the “Bear Sanctuary.”

Over the years, he regularly interacted with the bear communities in the area, getting to know them. Treadwell asserted that he was building relationships with specific bears and gaining their trust.

He began giving them names, even touching them or playing with their cubs. It indeed seemed like he was becoming well-known to the bears.

By developing this relationship and living among them, Treadwell hoped to protect the bears. Poaching was an issue in the area, and human fear and misunderstanding of the bears led to dangerous situations for both parties.

Believing himself to be a “bear whisperer,” Treadwell hoped to change the way people understood and interacted with bears to protect everyone.

Eventually, Treadwell began to expand his work and share his vision. He created a foundation called the Grizzly People, which is dedicated to protecting bears and educating the public about their importance.

He also wrote a book titled Among Grizzlies: Living with Wild Bears in Alaska.

As his work became more popular, Treadwell began to do media circuits and give lectures at schools, sharing his knowledge of the Alaskan bears across the United States.

He became a small celebrity for his life, which he shared with grizzly bears and his dedication to their protection.

The Controversial Nature Of Treadwell’s Methods

Although Treadwell’s love for the bears was evident, his methods were questionable.

Experts on conservation and wildlife criticized his living amongst the bears. Many believed that by gaining their trust, he was acclimating the bears to humans broadly.

This was fine with an expert like Treadwell, who knew how to behave with the bears. But if a bear bypassed its usual caution when approaching a less-experienced person, that could create a dangerous situation.

Treadwell’s behavior led to multiple clashes with the National Park Service since he was breaking nearly every rule they had for visitor safety.

He led tourists around the park without a license, improperly stored food, often stayed in one place too long, and even refused to use bear mace after using it once left him wracked with guilt.

He truly believed that his unique relationship with the bears allowed him to whatever behavior he desired. Feeling safer among bears than people, Treadwell was dedicated to protecting the wildlife that rescued him from his earlier addiction.

Some believe Treadwell was arrogant and disruptive, bringing danger upon himself, the bears, and other people. Others think that his summers in the park brought necessary attention to issues of conservation.

The Tragic End: October 2003

Perhaps predictably, Treadwell’s faith in the bears he surrounded himself with got him killed. After 13 years of visiting Katmai National Park, tragedy struck.

Treadwell and his girlfriend, Amie Huguenard, were preparing to leave the park at the end of the season. Weather complications delayed their departure, though, leaving them in a dangerous situation.

Treadwell had set up camp near a salmon stream, which attracted many bears. At that late point in the season, bears were beginning to prepare for hibernation as well.

Hunting for hibernation combined with a food shortage that year meant the bears in the area were hyper-aggressive.

Knowing they had a week-long delay, Treadwell decided to seek out a specific bear he was concerned for. However, many of the bears he knew had already begun to hibernate, with unknown bears making their way into the area.

He filmed a few of these bears, making it clear that he was increasingly uncomfortable in their presence.

On the night of October 5, 2003, Treadwell and Huguenard were attacked by a bear in their camp. Their video camera was able to record 6 minutes of audio.

The next day, the pilot who was supposed to pick them up called in a report that there was a bear in the couple’s camp.

Park rangers found the remains of Treadwell and Huguenard near the camp and killed two bears in the area. Human remains were found in the stomach of one of the bears.

Since the attack, people who have studied the case wondered whether the bear killed was responsible, or had chased off a more aggressive bear that actually killed the pair.

His death, while tragic, was met with little surprise. Treadwell was mourned by the wildlife conservation community, but many saw his death as the logical end to his foolish behavior.