Smokey Bear was the American spokesbear for the U.S. Forest Service. He was utilized to promote fire safety in the forests of the United States.

Full or original name at birth: Hotfoot Teddy

Date and place of birth: August 9, 1944*

Date, place and cause of death: November 9, 1976, at the National Zoo, Washington, D.C. (Natural causes)

Mate: Goldie

Child: Little Smokey (b. 1971 - d. August 11, 1990) (adopted son)

Burial location: Smokey Bear Museum and Grave, 118 West Smokey Bear Boulevard, Smokey Bear Historical Park, Capitan, New Mexico, U.S.A.

* August 9th is the official birth date offered by the U.S. Forest Service, and was the date used to celebrate his birthday during his life. The actual North American black bear cub rescued from the forest fire in New Mexico was born early in 1950.

Internet Accuracy Project always tries to offer parental, marriage and detailed info on children, but it is unknown who Smokey's parents were, and given his young age when he was found, it's highly unlikely he was married or had kids.

Smokey Bear was a cartoon character created and used by the U.S. Forest Service as a fire prevention mascot beginning in the mid-1940s. May 9th, 1950, a black bear cub was discovered badly singed following a forest fire near Capitan, New Mexico. He was initially named Hotfoot or Hotfoot Teddy, but officials quickly realized they'd found the perfect living incarnation of Smokey and renamed him Smokey Bear. Following treatment for his injuries, he became the official U.S. Forest Service fire prevention spokesbear. His popular slogan, "Only YOU Can Prevent Forest Fires," often appeared along with his cartoon likeness on countless posters, lunch boxes, pins, patches, wristwatches, cookie jars, a board game, matchbooks, plush bears, comic books, and even Smokey Bear salt and pepper shakers. Years later a mate was provided for him when Goldie, an orphaned female black bear from Smokey's home state of New Mexico, was discovered and moved to the National Zoo. No cubs were ever born to the couple, though they did "adopt" a son, Little Smokey, who carried on the Smokey Bear fire prevention tradition after Smokey's retirement.

"Smokey The Bear" was never his correct name. A popular 1950s song added "the" to his name to maintain the song's rhythm, and has caused confusion among Smokey enthusiasts ever since. Because of the song, an entire generation knows him as Smokey The Bear, but in actuality, his name never changed, and he is still known correctly as just Smokey Bear.