I saw a California bear that did not look like a black bear. Are there any recent grizzley sitings?

Question

I have 14 years of experience as a fish biologist and have seen dozens of grizzly and black bears. This bear definitely looked and acted like a grizzly. Is there a subspecies possible? California is not isolated and bears do travel 30-50 miles/day sometimes. Northern Cascades has had many grizzley sitings recently.

Answer 1

Grizzly bears (Ursus arctos horribilis) are extremely rare in the lower 48.  Much more common and easily confused with the grizzly bear is its close relative, the California brown bear (Ursus arctos) which, like grizzlies, can grow to 1500 lbs.  These bears can range from light tan to jet black, while grizzlies range from blonde to deep brown or red.

Most people think any bear big enough to weigh 1500 lbs. is a grizzly, but grizzlies are actually a sub-species of brown bears.

Answer 2

Aren't grizzlies extinct in California. Actually Grizzies are subspecies of a species called a brown bear.

Answer 3

Sounds like you should know better than us what it was.  Pretty unlikely but not impossible that it was a grizzly.

Answer 4

I think it is highly possible. I live in an area where there supposedly is no wolves (Hamilton, Ontario, Canada), but they've been spotted in the St. Jacob's area.  Numerous cougar (confirmed scat has been taken) and black bear sightings as well.