This week's best feel-good stories: From professional bear huggers to a 90-year-old first-time dad

From job cuts to more big bank woes, this week has had more than its fair share of heavy news. But the outlook isn’t all bad. As we head into the weekend, here’s a roundup of some of this week’s most heartwarming stories from Yahoo partners.

Now hiring: Professional bear huggers

Insider reports that the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish is “now hiring professional bear huggers.”

“Must have ability to hike in strenuous conditions, have the courage to crawl into a bear den, and have the trust in your coworkers to keep you safe during the process,” a posting on the department’s Facebook page said of prospective applicants.

You’ll need more than a love of bear cuddles to qualify as a conservation officer. Successful hires will also be responsible for enforcing game and fish laws, educating the public and capturing “problem animals.” In addition to almost a year of training, prerequisites for the job include a bachelor’s degree in biological sciences, police science or law enforcement, natural resources conservation, ecology or related fields.

The deadline for bear hugger applications is March 30, but there are plenty of other openings that are a bit less hairy.

“If crawling in bear dens was too intimidating for you, we are also hiring professional deer protectors,” the department said in another job posting.

95-year-old woman with dementia demonstrates ‘magical’ power of music

USA Today reported this week on a 95-year-old woman with “significant dementia” who has gone viral on TikTok for her incredible piano skills.

Elaine Lebar, who plays classics like Beethoven’s “Moonlight Sonata” and Debussy’s “Claire de Lune,” was recorded by her daughter, Randi Lebar, who uploaded the videos to social media.

“There was a whole cadre of music therapists that were chiming in,” Randi said. “Isn’t it magical what music can do, even with a fairly debilitating brain disease?”

Randi said she hopes that in addition to displaying her mother’s musical talent, the attention on social media will help illuminate some of the difficulties faced by those who love and care for someone with dementia.

“If you see her away from the piano, she is a lost little old lady with dementia who doesn’t know where she is or where she’s going,” Randi said. “I really wanted people to understand ... don’t give up on these people. They might still have something very real to offer in the world.”

90-year-old endangered tortoise becomes first-time dad

A 90-year-old radiated tortoise known as Mr. Pickles has become a first-time dad at the Houston Zoo, CBS News reported on Monday.

The zoo broke the news last week that it had welcomed three new hatchlings — aptly named Dill, Gherkin and Jalapeño — after the eggs were discovered months earlier. The new father of three has been at the zoo for 36 years and has been with his companion, Mrs. Pickles, since she arrived at the zoo in 1996.

The new mini-Pickles came as a pleasant surprise, the zoo said, as Mr. Pickles is “the most genetically valuable radiated tortoise in the Association of Zoos and Aquarium Species Survival Plan.” Radiated tortoises, which are native to southern and southwestern Madagascar, are critically endangered and tend to produce few offspring.

Son’s LinkedIn post seeking help for his dad goes viral

When 31-year-old Patrick McCarthy’s father, Peter Judge, lost his job as a cashier at WinCo Foods supermarket in Phoenix after nearly four years, McCarthy knew he had to help his dad out — and did so in the form of a heartwarming social media post that went viral and was picked up by USA Today this week.

Judge lost his job after accruing too many “points,” mostly for tardiness — a consequence of relying on walking and public transportation to get to work, McCarthy said. But McCarthy said his dad is good at what he does.

“He loves his customers. He loves being the reason people come back. He loves seeing customers seek out his lane for check-ins and updates. ... He and I share our empathy. Our listening ears. Our understanding,” McCarthy wrote on LinkedIn.

“For anyone in the Phoenix area or those looking for remote employees with a LOT of customer-facing, customer service, and service industry experience, DM me or leave a comment and I can put you in touch with my dad.”

The post blew up on social media, receiving hundreds of comments and shares and nearly 20,000 likes. Responses ranged from career advice for Judge to praise for McCarthy’s “honest and thoughtful post” supporting his father.

In the weeks since the post went viral, Judge “has spoken with several companies about possible opportunities,” according to USA Today.