California Bears, Present and Past

Abstract

Bears are among the most interesting animals of the wildlife of California. Today, most people know the black bear, its characteristic appearance and some of its habits, since it is commonly seen in frequented places like Yosemite and Sequoia National Parks. While it is the largest of our fur-bearing mammals, overestimates of its weight and size are commonly made. An individual of average size weighs between 200 and 300 pounds although instances are known where a black bear of large size weighs almost 500 pounds. These animals stand from 30 to 36 inches at the shoulder. The black bears at present and during the historic past are known to have ranged in the northern coast ranges, north of San Francisco, into Siskiyou County, and southward throughout the length of the Sierra Nevada. The southern end of their distribution extended from the Tehachapi Mountains into the eastern portions of Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties.