Animal Planet Hires 'The Bear Whisperer' and 'Skunk Whisperer'

One sounds potentially more dangerous, and the other sounds potentially more smelly. Animal Planet is adding a funky pair of new shows to its line-up: 'The Bear Whisperer,' about a professional bear wrangler in California, and 'The Skunk Whisperer,' about an Oklahoma pest control specialist.

'Bear Whisperer' revolves around Steve Searles, who eschews bullets and tranquilizers to control the bear population of Mammoth Lakes, California, and instead uses more humane tactics like firecrackers, air horns, flares and shouting to try and keep bears from hanging out in the town's populated areas.One sounds potentially more dangerous, and the other sounds potentially more smelly. Animal Planet is adding a funky pair of new shows to its line-up: 'The Bear Whisperer,' about a professional bear wrangler in California, and 'The Skunk Whisperer,' about an Oklahoma pest control specialist.

'Bear Whisperer' revolves around Steve Searles, who eschews bullets and tranquilizers to control the bear population of Mammoth Lakes, California, and instead uses more humane tactics like firecrackers, air horns, flares and shouting to try and keep bears from hanging out in the town's populated areas.

Searles, who cut the bear population in half when he worked for the Mammoth Lakes police department as its "bear whisperer," was introduced to Animal Planet viewers in a January special, and will now star in at least three more installments of his show, with the possibility that the network will order additional episodes.

The 'Skunk Whisperer,' meanwhile, is Oklahoma resident Ned Bruha, who, like A&E's 'Billy the Exterminator,' is the guy to call if you've got something furry, slimy or altogether ookie in your house and you want it removed. Ned, like Billy, is all about removing pests in a humane manner, and the show will follow him as he takes on rodents, beavers, bats, snakes and, as his self-proclaimed title suggests, Pepe Le Pews.