Greg Gutfeld Targets 4 Animal Gripes in Latest Gripe Report

Q: Amid conflicting advice, what is the definitive expert guidance for surviving a bear encounter this summer?

The clearest expert guidance is this: avoid surprising a bear, never run, carry bear spray where you can reach it instantly, and respond differently depending on whether it is a black bear or a grizzly. Wildlife agencies and park experts say prevention matters most in summer, when people and bears are more likely to cross paths. Hike in groups, make steady human noise on trails, especially near blind corners or rushing water, keep dogs leashed, and secure all food and scented items. If you see a bear at a distance, stay calm, give it space, and slowly back away while facing it. If a bear notices you or approaches, do not run or turn your back. Speak calmly, stand your ground, and try to appear larger. If it keeps coming, experts recommend using bear spray at close range, generally when the bear is within roughly 30 to 40 feet, aiming slightly downward to create a cloud between you and the animal. If an attack becomes physical, the advice splits by species. With a black bear, fight back aggressively using anything available. With a grizzly, if it is a defensive attack and spray has not stopped it, the standard National Park Service guidance is to play dead: lie flat on your stomach, protect your neck with your hands, and spread your legs so the bear cannot easily flip you. Experts stress there is no single trick that works every time, but awareness, distance, and practiced use of bear spray are the most reliable protections.

Q: How did a 2026 study prove endangered tapirs were wrongly hunted for crop damage they didn't cause?

A 2026 study showed the tapirs were wrongly blamed by using camera-trap evidence in cassava fields in eastern Honduras. Researchers from the Wildlife Conservation Society monitored a 10-hectare field in the Miskitu community of Mavita with solar-powered, motion-activated cameras over about two months to see which animals were actually eating the crops. The images showed that the main crop raider was not the endangered Baird’s tapir, but the Honduran cottontail rabbit. Tapirs appeared far less often than local farmers had assumed, and the study also found no evidence that some other suspected animals, including pacas and armadillos, were feeding on the cassava. That mattered because tapirs had been subjected to retaliatory hunting based on local belief that they were causing the losses. The study, published in *Neotropical Biology and Conservation* on May 22, 2026, effectively separated perception from reality by documenting the real culprit rather than relying on assumption. Researchers said the case showed how large, conspicuous animals can be blamed simply because they are easier to notice. In this case, the evidence helped protect an endangered species that plays an important ecological role as a major seed disperser and “gardener of the forest,” while pointing farmers and conservationists toward more accurate ways to manage crop damage.

Q: Why was celebrity baby tapir Ume moved to a new zoo just a year after her celebrated birth?

Ume was moved because she had reached the stage of becoming an independent young tapir, and her transfer was part of normal accredited-zoo population management rather than a problem or emergency. Point Defiance Zoo said the early June 2026 relocation marked “the next chapter in her journey” after her celebrated February 2025 birth. She was sent to another accredited zoo in the Midwest, later identified as the Minnesota Zoo, after a public farewell at the end of May. The broader reason is conservation management. Malayan tapirs are endangered, and transfers like Ume’s are commonly coordinated through accredited zoo programs such as the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Species Survival Plan. Those programs place animals where they best support long-term breeding goals, genetic diversity, and the health of the captive population. So although Ume had become a local celebrity, her move just over a year after birth reflected standard conservation planning for a growing tapir, not an unusual decision.

1 articles · Updated · Fox News · Jul 1

Greg Gutfeld used Wednesday’s “Gripe Report” to air four animal complaints—dolphins, ants, talking birds and conflicting bear-attack advice—framing them as summer frustrations tied to more time outdoors.
Dolphins drew his sharpest mockery: Gutfeld questioned how “smart” they can be while living in water despite breathing air and lacking hands to apply their intelligence.
Ants and other home-invading creatures supplied the most personal gripe, with Gutfeld recounting a fresh ant problem at his Florida house that eased after sealing a crack and calling an exterminator.
Talking birds fed into his stated ornithophobia, as he called parrots creepy and pointless because their mimicry rarely produces anything more than repeated names, cracker requests or swear words.
Bear encounters broadened the segment beyond jokes, with Gutfeld arguing that public safety advice remains muddled because guidance alternately says to get small or big, and to stay quiet or make noise.