It’s the centerpiece of California’s flag, and is a key part of the state’s identity and history. But it hasn’t existed for over 100 years. Today on KVPR’s Central Valley Roots, the story of the California grizzly bear.
These days, you might encounter a black bear on a hiking trip in the Sierra. They’re big animals. They can weigh up to 500 pounds and can stand and walk upright for a short time. California currently has between 50,000 to 70,000 black bears. But they’re small when compared with the legendary California grizzly bear. These bears were giants, weighing up to 1,000 pounds, and able to run 35 miles an hour for short bursts. Before the Gold Rush, biologists estimate that California had as many as 10,000 grizzly bears. They became a part of California lore.
Today the Grizzly bear is California’s official state animal, but they went extinct a century ago. In 1922, a hunter in Fresno County shot what was claimed to be the last grizzly bear in the state, The last documented sighting of a California grizzly bear was in Sequoia National Park in 1924.
Today, some advocate for returning the grizzly bear to the Golden State, by reintroducing the species from populations in other states. It remains a controversial issue. Here’s one final note on today’s black bears and concerns about safety: the Department of Fish and Wildlife estimates that there have been only 12 documented bear attacks in California since 1980.
