Bear Facts

November 15, 2025

updated as often as possible

Bear Incidents

Location

Wilderness: 5

Campgrounds: 12

Parking lots and roadsides: 1

Residential: 3

Other areas: 13

Total: 34

Number of incidents last year: 34

So far this year, incidents are:

• up by 3% compared to last year
• up by 55% compared to the year with the fewest incidents (2019)
• down by 98% compared to the year with the most incidents (1998)

Note: A bear incident occurs when a bear causes a monetary loss to a person--that is, if the bear causes property damage or obtains food. Bear incidents also include cases of bears causing injury to a person (which are fairly uncommon).

Activity Summary

Bears are bulking up for winter in Yosemite. Many large transient male bears who spend the summer outside of the area have returned to Yosemite Valley, Wawona, and El Portal to eat acorns before hibernating. The black oak and canyon live oak trees have a lot of acorns this year so there is a lot of bear food in Yosemite. At lower elevations on the Merced River Canyon, bears are also eating wild grapes and non-native fruit trees.

Black bears can eat up 20,000 calories per day in the fall preparing for hibernation. Because they are so focused on gaining weight this time of year, it is more important than ever to keep your distance (at least 50 yards or four shuttle bus lengths) from bears and to store food properly. Bears are smart and given the opportunity can very quickly learn that it takes a lot less effort to consume rich and fatty human food to reach their 20,000 calorie goal. There is plenty of natural food for bears. While human food may be a quick reward, it can ultimately be a death sentence by making bears lose their wildness and become aggressive towards people.

Let us know if you see a bear, no matter where it is or what it's doing. Call 209/372-0322 or send an email.

Slow Down!

Please help protect wildlife by obeying speed limits and being prepared to stop for animals in roadways. Twenty-seven bears have been struck by vehicles so far in 2025, making this year on track to have one of the highest number of bears hit by vehicles in the last 30 years. Slow down and pay attention to roadsides when driving!

Fascinating Bear Fact

Tool use was first documented in wild brown bear (Ursus arctos) in southeastern Alaska in 2012 when a subadult was observed using barnacle-encrusted rocks to scratch its neck.

Learn more about bear biology and bear management in Yosemite.

Other Wildlife

Humans aren’t the only fall climbers in Yosemite! Ringtail cats (Bassariscus astutus) are a member of the raccoon family and have been observed “chimney stemming” while climbing cracks or similar terrain.