The formidable grizzly bear (Ursus arctos horribilis) is definitively not found in the wild within Arizona’s borders today. The iconic North American grizzly once held a wide territory across the continent, but any current bear sighting in the state involves the region’s only remaining species, the American black bear.
The Definitive Answer: Current Presence Status
The grizzly bear population in Arizona is officially considered extirpated, meaning they have been completely eliminated from the state’s ecosystem. The state is not part of any active federal grizzly bear recovery zone. These recovery efforts focus on established populations in the Northern Rocky Mountains, such as Montana, Wyoming, and Idaho.
There are no connected wildlife corridors allowing for the natural migration of grizzlies from these northern states to the Sky Islands or high-elevation forests of Arizona. The last confirmed killing of a grizzly in the state occurred on September 13, 1935, southeast of Clifton, marking the end of the species’ presence in the state’s wildlands. Any contemporary sighting is highly improbable and would represent an unprecedented range expansion.
A Forgotten History in the Southwest
The historical range of the grizzly bear in Arizona was substantial, encompassing the mountainous areas of the White Mountains, the Mogollon Rim, and the isolated Sky Island ranges. Grizzlies thrived in these high-elevation habitats for thousands of years. Some individuals were described as “silvertips” due to the grizzled, white-tipped guard hairs on their brown coats, but this presence began to unravel rapidly with the arrival of European-American settlers in the mid-19th century.
The primary driver of their disappearance was predator eradication, fueled by the expansion of ranching and livestock operations across the Southwest. Grizzlies were viewed as an economic threat, leading to aggressive hunting, trapping, and poisoning programs. This pressure, combined with habitat fragmentation, permanently removed the species from the state by the mid-1930s.
The Only Bear Species in Arizona
The only species of bear currently inhabiting Arizona is the American black bear (Ursus americanus). These bears are common throughout the state’s forested and mountainous regions, including the Kaibab Plateau, the Mogollon Rim, and the Sky Islands. The black bear is generally smaller than the grizzly, with Arizona males typically weighing between 125 and 400 pounds.
Differentiating Features
The black bear lacks the prominent muscular shoulder hump characteristic of the grizzly, and its facial profile is relatively straight from the forehead to the nose. Black bears possess short, curved claws, which are ideal for climbing trees, a behavior rarely exhibited by the grizzly. In contrast, the extirpated grizzly had a distinct dish-shaped face, small rounded ears, and long, straight claws adapted for digging up roots and small mammals.
Black bears are crepuscular, meaning they are most active during the dawn and dusk hours. Their diet is primarily composed of plant matter, insects, and berries. Public encounters often occur when bears are drawn to human-created food sources, such as improperly stored garbage, pet food, or bird feeders. Securing all potential attractants is the most effective measure to prevent conflicts and ensure both human and bear safety.