California grizzly bear
|
|
|
The California grizzly bear is a subspecies of grizzly bear native to, well, guess. It's very similar to grizzly bears of southern Alaska, except larger - the largest recorded specimens weigh around 2,000 pounds. Coloration ranges from golden brown to almost black. Genetically, the California population is closest to other North American grizzly bears, particularly the Rocky Mountain population. When Spain occupied California, these bears came in conflict with ranchers, who proceeded to hunt them as a nusiance. Once California became part of the United States, unfortunately hunting did not cease. The last one was sighted in 1924. It lives on in the state's flag, based on a popular individual named Monarch. The bears gave its name to the Bear Flag Republic, a failed attempt at independence from Spain's colonial rule. The California grizzly bear deextinction and reintroduction program is a joint project between the California Academy of Sciences and the University of California, with limited success. We house two bears unfit for repopulation; one is sterile, and the other is too people-friendly. |
Scientific name Location Time Legnth Diet |