{"id":2186735,"date":"2025-05-16T18:00:22","date_gmt":"2025-05-16T17:00:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/focusingonwildlife.com\/news\/?p=2186735"},"modified":"2025-05-16T18:42:34","modified_gmt":"2025-05-16T17:42:34","slug":"grizzlies-could-make-a-comeback-in-california-new-study-suggests","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/focusingonwildlife.com\/news\/grizzlies-could-make-a-comeback-in-california-new-study-suggests\/","title":{"rendered":"Grizzlies Could Make a Comeback in California, New Study Suggests"},"content":{"rendered":"

At the time of the California Gold Rush in the mid-1800s, grizzly bears numbered as many as 10,000. In the following years, the iconic carnivores were entirely eradicated, with the last one seen wandering alone in Sequoia National Park in 1924.<\/p>\n

Now, a new feasibility study by the California Grizzly Alliance has said grizzlies could be reintroduced to the Golden State, particularly in three regions: in the northwest forest close to the Oregon border, in the southwestern region and in the southern Sierra Nevada mountains, reported The Guardian.<\/p>\n

Grizzlies provide a host of ecosystem benefits, including seed dispersal, nutrient cycling and aerating soil through digging.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy first grizzly sighting came on a long summer\u2019s day in Alaska\u2019s Denali National Park. While making my way through great meadows, I glanced their hulking shapes on the horizon, the distance shrinking these tawny giants to mere caterpillars. And yet, there they were, magnificent and untamed, nature raw and powerful,\u201d wrote conservationist Kris Tompkins in a foreword to the study. \u201cComing into the presence of an iconic species like a grizzly is an electric bolt to the senses. With one look, the meek dimensions of human existence are laid bare. We are humbled, which is a very good thing\u2026 It\u2019s time to think of the other creatures with which we share the Earth, those that have no say in the future but are fundamental to an intact and thriving planet.\u201d<\/p>\n

The study, Recovering Grizzly Bears in California, comes to the conclusion that there are no ecological, biological, economic, policy or legal obstacles standing in the way of returning the official animal of California to the state that could not be overcome, a press release from the Center for Biological Diversity said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhether or not we bring grizzly bears back to California is a choice, as there is no biological reason we couldn\u2019t do it,\u201d said environmental historian Peter Alagona, the study\u2019s lead author and a conservation scientist and professor at University of California, Santa Barbara, in the press release. \u201cA decade of research informing this study demonstrates that grizzlies likely can thrive in California if we make the affirmative decision to bring them back.\u201d<\/p>\n

Grizzly bears are prominently featured on the flag and seal of California, though none currently inhabit its forests.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s important for people to realize that the grizzly bear isn\u2019t just a symbol on a flag \u2014 it was a real animal that shaped California\u2019s ecosystems and holds deep meaning for Tribal Nations across the state,\u201d said Tejon Tribe Chairman Octavio Escobedo III, who wrote one of the forewords to the study, in the press release. \u201cThe grizzly was honored and respected not only for its power, but for the balance it helped maintain in the natural world. This study shows that with the right approach, it\u2019s actually possible for the bear to fulfill that role once again.\u201d<\/p>\n

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A grizzly bear on the state flag displayed in a store in Solvang, California on Dec. 2, 2023. George Rose \/ Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In the study, scientists and policy experts explore the history, biology and ecology of Calfironia\u2019s grizzlies, as well as their relationship with humans. They also look at existing habitats that could be suitable for the species, along with the likely ecological, social and economic impacts of their potential reintroduction.<\/p>\n

The research drew upon new analysis and previous studies by scientists who are a part of the California Grizzly Research Network.<\/p>\n

Recognized as a \u201ccultural keystone species\u201d in the study, many California Tribes still respect grizzlies as an honored relative, even though they have been absent from the state for over a century.<\/p>\n

\u201cGrizzlies coexisted with the ancestors of California Tribes for thousands of years and still hold deep cultural, spiritual, religious and social significance. This long relationship gives Tribes unique insight into the grizzly\u2019s ecological role and what future coexistence could look like,\u201d the press release said.<\/p>\n

The authors of the study included recommendations for community and Tribal engagement, educational outreach and future research.<\/p>\n

\u201cTo our ancestors, the grizzly bear was a revered relative, who kept the natural world in balance,\u201d said Yurok Tribe Chairman Joseph L. James in the press release. \u201cOur people feel the same way today. In the Yurok worldview, all native wildlife species play important roles in healthy ecosystems, which is why we reintroduced the California condor in 2022. Based on this experience, we know that a potential return of the grizzly will require additional scientific research, widespread community buy-in, and collaboration.\u201d<\/p>\n

Last year, the centennial of the elimination of grizzly bears from the State of California was officially recognized. The state senate passed a resolution in April of 2024 declaring it the \u201cYear of the California Grizzly Bear,\u201d marking the 100th year since the last grizzly was seen in the state.<\/p>\n

The California Fish and Game Commission passed a similar resolution marking the centennial and called for studies that could inform \u201cany consideration of the future of the grizzly bear in California.\u201d<\/p>\n