Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend Interrupto!
Mar 26, 2026
Mike from Ontario, a conservation authority worker and former polar bear monitor who trains birds of prey including a bald eagle named Babe. He recounts Arctic patrols and polar bear safety tactics. A live owl named Interrupto makes a surprise appearance. They discuss car-hawking, training raptors to clear nuisance birds, and gripping field stories from long Arctic deployments.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Polar Bear Monitor Helicopter Deployments
- Mike worked as a polar bear monitor who got helicoptered into the Arctic to escort people safely across polar bear territory.
- He tracked bears, kept eyes on them, and provided safe passage for researchers and locals during multi-week deployments.
Polar Bears Will Actively Hunt Humans
- Polar bears are highly predatory toward humans and will approach if they smell or see people because food is scarce in the Arctic.
- Mike contrasts polar bear behavior with black bears and grizzlies, stressing polar bears' relentless hunting drive and the need for vigilance.
Use Non Lethal Rounds Before Lethal Force
- Carry non-lethal deterrents first and lethal rounds only if absolutely required; Mike used rubber slugs to make bears leave without killing them.
- He emphasized conservation-minded response: hurt the bear enough to deter it and give it a chance to retreat.