The Bear Whisperer

With true sense of loss and great sadness we announced the passing of Gary, the Cariboo Mountains “Bear Whisperer,” on October 11, 2022. He was a larger-than-life presence with an indelible spirit and passion for all nature and wildlife as all who knew him can attest. Gary was a truly skilled outdoorsman with an unlimited wealth of knowledge and unerring ability to make people feel safe and comfortable in his wilderness world. He radiated strength and conviction. Nothing daunted him which led to the amazing adventure experiences he developed and delivered to clients from all over the world and all walks of life with grace and humour. Gary, unconditionally kind, was an incredibly hardworking, honoured and respected member of his profession and community. He was kind, caring and generous with his time and resources, a builder and innovator, and a perfectionist in everything he did ensuring his tourism clients had the best the best immersive experience leaving them with lifetime memories and often life changing moments in nature.

Gary’s early experiences growing up in a rural farming area in southeastern BC exploring the mountains, fishing and hunting shaped his life and passion for nature and his special relationship with wildlife, especially the Big Bears. His life pursuits led to a variety of business experiences always in the outdoors which culminated in over 40 years of outdoor adventures in the Cariboo Mountains. Gary became known as the “Bear Whisperer,” so named by some clients, because of his unique and special gift with animals, especially the iconic Grizzlies, and his quiet, calm take charge approach that steered his every encounter and interaction with nature. Gary was physically an extremely strong man, endowed with an undaunted inner strength and an incomparable depth of courage and character, along with unmatched wilderness skills, “bush sense,” and very determined will.

Gary and his wife, Peggy, were pioneers in the ecotourism industry providing bear and wildlife and nature adventures throughout their various outdoor business ventures. Gary was issued the first bear viewing licence in British Columbia. With his extensive bear knowledge, he worked with BC government biologists in developing and writing the first BC Bear Viewing Guidelines.

Gary, a conservationist and protector of the lands and waters, served on a number of provincial tourism boards and advisory committees for the protection of wildlife and the lands. His true passion was the Grizzlies and their habitat. Over the years the Zorns garnered several honors and awards including recognition for excellence in a tourism business and CCCTA’s prestigious President’s award recognizing inspiration and dedication to tourism development in the region. Destination Canada bestowed the honor of Canadian Signature Experience on their unique grizzly bear watching adventures.

Gary loved roaming the mountains with his dogs he’d trained to work with bears and wildlife exploring nature’s mysteries. His warm presence, hearty jokes and avid storytelling will be greatly missed by all who knew him. Gary’s life was truly a blessing and his memory a treasure.