Grizzly bear

Grizzly bears, historically widespread across California with estimates of up to 10,000 before the Gold Rush, are now extinct in the state, a century after their disappearance. This historical context is fueling a contemporary debate, as a coalition of tribes and environmentalists is advocating for legislative study into the feasibility of reintroducing grizzly bears to modern California. Meanwhile, in other parts of their current range, encounters with grizzlies remain significant events. A recent harrowing account from Montana describes a hiker's near-fatal mauling by a grizzly bear in Glacier National Park, highlighting the powerful and potentially dangerous nature of these animals. This juxtaposition of historical absence and present-day encounters underscores the ongoing relevance and complex relationship between humans and grizzly bears, both in terms of conservation efforts and the realities of sharing landscapes.