The question of whether grizzly bears still roam California is a natural one, given their presence in the state’s history and symbolism. The definitive answer is no; the California Grizzly Bear (Ursus arctos californicus) is no longer found in the wild within the state’s borders. Before European settlement, an estimated 10,000 of these brown bears inhabited nearly every part of the region, establishing themselves as the apex predator. California’s native grizzly population has been considered locally extinct, or extirpated, for a century, leaving behind a profound historical and cultural legacy.
The Definitive Status of the California Grizzly
The California grizzly bear, a subspecies of the brown bear, is classified as extinct in California, meaning the entire population was wiped out from the state’s wildlands. This extirpation was a swift process driven by human activity, concluding a lineage that had inhabited the region for thousands of years. The last verifiable records place its disappearance in the early 1920s.
The last reported killing occurred in Tulare County in August 1922, though this remains unconfirmed. The last universally accepted sighting of a wild grizzly occurred two years later in 1924 on the western slope of Sequoia National Park. Since that time, no other wild grizzly has been reliably documented, leading to the official designation that the species was lost from California’s ecosystems.
The species’ extirpation occurred roughly 75 years after the 1849 Gold Rush began, illustrating the rapid nature of their decline. Males sometimes weighed up to 1,000 pounds and stood four-and-a-half feet at the shoulder, similar in size to the Kodiak bear of Alaska. This size provided no defense against the pressure of human expansion and targeted eradication campaigns.
The Rapid Decline and Extinction Causes
The primary driver of the population collapse was the increase in human-bear conflict following the influx of settlers during the Gold Rush. The introduction of livestock by ranchers provided a new, easily accessible food source, shifting the grizzly’s diet from primarily vegetarian. This led to raids on cattle and sheep, framing the bears as a direct threat to the agricultural economy.
Settlers and ranchers responded with organized hunting and eradication efforts, viewing the grizzlies as competitors for resources. Bounties were established in some counties, incentivizing the killing of the bears, and some were captured for spectator sports. The availability of repeating rifles and the cultural perception of the grizzly accelerated their demise.
Habitat fragmentation also played a significant role, as farms and settlements rapidly expanded across the state. The loss of vast, undisturbed territory disrupted their foraging patterns and reduced their ability to reproduce successfully. The combination of targeted extermination and the destruction of their natural range proved overwhelming for the species.
The Symbolic Legacy of the California Grizzly Bear
Despite its physical absence, the memory of the grizzly bear is imprinted in the state’s identity. The California Grizzly Bear is the official State Animal, a designation established in 1953, decades after its disappearance. This status ensures the bear remains a symbol of the state’s natural heritage and past.
The bear’s image is most famously displayed on the California State Flag, often called the Bear Flag. The design originated during the 1846 Bear Flag Revolt. California is the only state that carries the image of an extinct animal on both its state flag and state seal, perpetuating a visual reminder of the species.
Current Bear Populations in California
While the California grizzly is gone, California is home to a large population of American Black Bears (Ursus americanus). The state supports one of the largest black bear populations in the contiguous United States, estimated to range from 30,000 to over 40,000 individuals. These bears are widely distributed across the state, with high concentrations found in the North Coast, Cascade regions, and the Sierra Nevada mountain range.
It is important to distinguish the black bear from the larger, extirpated grizzly bear. Black bears typically weigh between 100 and 400 pounds and lack the distinctive shoulder hump of the grizzly. Although grizzlies are brown bears, the American black bear’s fur color can vary widely, ranging from black to brown, cinnamon, or blonde. The American black bear is the only species of bear currently inhabiting the wild landscapes of California.