Black Bears

Duration:

13 minutes, 55 seconds

Black bears (Ursus americanus) are an integral part of the Sierra ecosystem and one of the many wildlife species the National Park Service is mandated to protect. Learn more about these animals and how they live in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks.

 

Bears forage in and near meadows. Please keep a distance from all park wildlife.

Julie Brunnengraeber

All bears in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks are American black bears (Ursus americanus). This name can be misleading, as they may be black, brown, cinnamon, or even blonde in color.

Black bears range throughout both Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks - where they forage for natural foods - digging up roots in meadows, ripping apart logs, and peering into tree cavities for food. Unfortunately, when human food becomes available, they learn to forage for human food in place of natural food - digging up your backseat to get the cooler in the trunk, ripping apart trailer doors, and peering into your car for food.

This change in foraging behavior also leads to other changes, such as the time bears are active, the range in elevation and habitat types where bears occur, and their behavior toward humans. Ensuing conflicts between bears and humans result in damaged property, personal injuries, and the destruction of some bears, such as #583. The unnatural behavior and resultant losses are unacceptable. As a result, Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks have a long-standing human-bear management program. The best way to protect park bears is to keep them from getting human food. If you plan to visit these parks, take some time to learn about food storage before you come.

Interested in learning more about black bears and grizzly bears in national parks? Visit the National Park Service's bear information pages for photos, videos, and a guide to parks where bears can be found.

 

To stay safe around bears, maintain a minimum distance of 100 yards (300 feet), or about the length of a football field.

NPS Photo

Where can I see a bear?

Seeing bears is often a matter of luck, but you can increase your chances if you know where and when to look. The best places are those locations that serve as food sources at that time of year. In spring, bears are often in meadows digging up grasses, forbs, and roots, or in the forest ripping apart logs for the insects inside. As berries ripen in summer, bears can be found near manzanita and bitter-cherry bushes. In the fall, you may see bears high in oak trees, consuming vast quantities of acorns.

Even if you don't see a bear, look for signs of them - overturned rocks and stumps, torn-up rotten logs, scratch marks and bits of fur on tree bark, scat, and tracks in snow or mud. If you see a bear, remember that they, and all park animals, are wild. Do not approach them and NEVER give them food.

Note: These regulations and precautions help decrease the chance of personal injury or property damage. However, bear damage and confrontations are still possible, even when all guidelines are followed. Also, remember that these guidelines apply to black bears within Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks. If you travel in an area where grizzly bears may be present, look for information about bear encounters that's specific to that species.

 

Learn More About Black Bears

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  Store Food to Protect Wildlife

  Bears are active day and night. When camping or picnicking, all food, trash, and any item with a scent must be stored in food-storage boxes.

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  Bear Encounters

  Learn about what to do if you encounter a black bear.

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  The Death of #583

  Learn about the consequences of bears that become habituated to humans.