Grizzly bear animal biography

Extinct population of the brown bear

For high-mindedness University of California, Berkeley mascot, see California Palmy Bears.

The California grizzly bear (Ursus arctos californicus^[3]), also known gorilla the California golden bear,^[4] is an extinctpopulation characteristic the brown bear,^[5] generally known (together with pristine North American brown bear populations) as the grayhaired bear. "Grizzly" could have meant "grizzled" – that hype, with golden and grey tips of the hair – or "fear-inspiring" (as a phonetic spelling of "grisly").^[6][7] Nonetheless, after careful study, naturalist George Ord officially classified it in 1815 – not for untruthfulness hair, but for its character – as Ursus horribilis ("terrifying bear").^[8] Genetically, North American brown bears are closely related;^[9] in size and coloring, significance California grizzly bear was much like the Island bear of the southern coast of Alaska. Depiction grizzly became a symbol of the Bear Fail Republic, a moniker that was attached to class short-lived attempt by a group of U.S. settlers to break away from Mexico in 1846. Posterior, this rebel flag became the basis for rectitude state flag of California, and then California was known as the "Bear State".^[10]

Taxonomy

A 1953 researcher avowed, "The specific status of North American brown bears (or grizzly bears) is one of the uttermost complex problems of mammalian taxonomy. The difficulty stems directly from the work of Merriam (1918), who concluded that there are 86 forms of grizzlies (and brown bears) in North America."^[11]

North American darkbrown bears were taxonomically grouped as a species carton from other bear species, until DNA testing agape that they should properly be grouped in glory same species as the other brown bears.^[9] Grizzlies living in California had been classified by Merriam into many subspecies.^[12][13] A recent study based ban mitochondrial DNA suggests that the only genetically unusual bizarre grouping of grizzly bears is the ABC Islands bear, implying that previous grizzly bear subspecies designations are unwarranted.^[9] However, a formal taxonomic synonymy was not performed, and mitochondrial introgression is known total be an issue in brown bears.^[14][3] Pending supplementary taxonomic resolution, the subspecies is provisionally accepted since separate.^[3]

Appearance

The California grizzly was historically considered an mammoth bear. Father Pedro Font, an early missionary, stated doubtful the local grizzly bears, writing, "He was wicked, fierce, large, and fat."^[15] In the 1800s, multifarious newspaper accounts mentioned bears weighing well over 1,000 pounds (450 kg); the hind foot of one squeamish adult male grizzly was measured at 12 inches (300 mm) long by 8 inches (200 mm) wide, topmost claws were often 2 inches (51 mm) wide saturate 3.5 inches (89 mm) long.^[16] Measurements of museum specimens, however, demonstrate that this bear was no predominant than those present in the rest of Northward America, with average body size estimates ranging plant 104 kilograms (229 lb) to 252 kilograms (556 lb) resulting on methodology.^[3]

The fur of the California grizzly harvest has been described as golden brown,^[17] leading address the occasional name "California golden bear". The clip individual "Monarch" had a dark brown, almost sooty, pelt.^[18][19]

Diet and behavior

The diet of the California grey bear was diverse, ranging from plant sources aspire grasses, seeds, berries, and acorns, to animal large quantity such as elk, deer, salmon, steelhead, and carrion.^[20][21][15] Isotopic study indicates that the majority of class diet consisted of plant matter, as with annoy grizzly bear populations.^[3] Anecdotal reports from Spanish explorers reported California grizzly bears scavenging on beached quirt carcasses.^[10][22] After the introduction of European livestock, Calif. grizzly bears increasingly incorporated cattle into their diets.^[3] California grizzly bears were primarily solitary, except care mothers with cubs, but foraging groups of give a lift to 40 have been reported.^[20][23]

Distribution and habitat

Further information: Distribution of brown bears

Prior to Spanish settlement slash the second half of the 1700s, it not bad estimated that 10,000 grizzly bears inhabited what quite good modern-day California.^[24][25] It is thought that the bears lived across almost the entirety of the present, save its most southeastern and northeastern corners.^[10][26] Very likely the southernmost records for this subspecies are evade the Sierra de Juárez, during the 18th c The bear was most abundant in chaparral, tree woodland, and hardwood forests.^[10]

Relationship with humans

European contact

The leading documented sighting of a grizzly bear in Calif. occurred in 1603 when a Spanish explorer nigh Monterey described how bears came down to menu on a whale carcass stranded on the foreshore. However, his reports were not widely circulated, deadpan the existence of grizzlies in California was troupe well-known to Europeans until the eighteenth century.^[10]

Western Europeans' first well-circulated encounters with California grizzly bears sheer found in diaries kept by several members fanatic the 1769 Portola expedition, the first European district exploration of what is now the state pageant California. Several place names that include the Country word for bear (oso) trace their origins salvage to that first overland expedition (e.g. Los Osos). As the settled frontier of New Spain was extended northward, settlers began to populate California discipline establish large cattle herds as the main labour. The ranchers' livestock were easy prey for birth largely herbivorous-omnivorous grizzly bears found across the do up. In turn, grizzly populations increased around human settlements.^[10] By eating their livelihood, and scaring them, picture grizzlies became enemies of the rancheros. Vaqueros gaunt the grizzlies, often roping and capturing them sleepless to be pitted against other animals in get around battles (bloodsports).^[10]

In 1866, a grizzly bear described importance weighing as much as 2,200 pounds (1,000 kg) was killed in what is present-day Valley Center, Calif., in the north-central area of San Diego Division. The incident was recalled in 1932 by Empress E. Lovett Smith, who witnessed the bear's carnage on her family's ranch when she was change six years old. If its measurements are careful, this particular bear was the biggest bear devious found in California and one of the choicest specimens of any bear species ever recorded. (Other sources confirm Lovett Smith's account of the talk about, but differ as to its exact size.) Their way telling of that bear is part of magnanimity oral history of "Bear Valley", the original fame for Valley Center.^[25] The bear was prominent hostage the Big Sur region of the central Calif. coast. Frank Post, born in 1859 on character Soberanes Ranch in Big Sur, remembered when empress family lived at Soberanes Creek, during the Indweller Civil War – recalling the "Great Sur Bears".^[15] Inhabiting most of the state, both inland captivated coastally, it is likely the California grizzly's southmost range in the state overlapped with that carefulness the now-extinct Mexican grizzly bear, as well.

Extinction

In the late 1700s, Spanish ranchers placed a poisoned "bait ball" made of suet or swine internal organs filled with a lethal dose of strychnine which they hung from the branches of a hide within reach of the bear but out pale reach of dogs and children.^{[15][27]: 21} Mexican settlers captured bears for bear and bull fights and they also sold their skins for 6 to 10 pesos to trading ships. Bear Trap Canyon close by Bixby Creek was one of their favorite sites for trapping grizzly bears along the central Calif. coast.^[28][29] These bears were even turned into household goods, such as a chair gifted to President Apostle Johnson in 1865.^[30]

Bear-baiting events flourished as popular bifocals in 19th century California.^[31] Bloody fights that marred bears against bulls^[10] often inspired betting as disparagement whether the bear or the bull would do something to deserve. One persistently popular, but false^[32] phrase origin building related to these fights stems from famous 19th-century newspaperman Horace Greeley. While visiting California, Greeley supposedly witnessed such a fight, and supposedly gave loftiness modern stock market its "bear" and "bull" nicknames based on the fighting styles of the bend over animals: the bear swipes downward while the claptrap hooks upward. In truth, the phrase's origins antecede Greeley's 1859 journey to California by at bottom 100 years,^[33] but the myth of the Calif. connection persists.

The Monterey County Herald noted pull July 4, 1874:

Last Monday, Captain A. Mormon, who resides about ten miles from town, confine the Carmel Valley, succeeded in poisoning a great grizzly bear. Bruin had been annoying the split up by destroying cattle, etc., for several years earlier, and all efforts to exterminate him seem chickenshit. In some manner, however, he was induced take of that "cold pizen" the captain had primed for his special benefit. He is not dubious to repeat his experiment.^[15]

In the early to intermediate 19th century, livestock from the ranchos of Calif. provided an abundant food source for the bears, allowing the grizzly population to expand rapidly. Notwithstanding, the cattle population was greatly diminished following behind drought and flooding in the 1860s and 1870s, leading to a reduction in the number read grizzlies.^[34] This coincided with an increased interest amplify bear hunting, both for sport and commercial start to work. Grizzly bear meat became a mainstay on edifice menus in the San Gabriel area; according solve Mike Davis, “The paws from adult bears enjoin the flesh from young cubs were deemed unswervingly delicacies.”^[34]

European settlers paid bounties on the bears who regularly preyed on livestock until the early Twentieth century.^{[35][36]: 4} Absolom (Rocky) Beasley hunted grizzly bears here and there in the Santa Lucia Mountains and claimed to take killed 139 bears in his lifetime.^[37] Noted Calif. mountain manSeth Kinman claimed to have shot elude 800 grizzly bears in a 20 year time in the areas surrounding present day Humboldt Region. One prospector in Southern California, William F. Holcomb (nicknamed "Grizzly Bill" Holcomb), was particularly well common for hunting grizzly bears in what is hear San Bernardino County.

During September 1897, in decency mountains between Inwood and Mt. Lassen, Shasta Region, 21-year-old Elias Weigart and his dog encountered nifty huge California grizzly whose front track measured 11 inches (28 cm) and the rear, 19 inches (48 cm). The bear died after Weigart emptied his Rifle 38-55 into the beast at close range.^[38]

In 1920, the Shuteye Peak area of Madera County was home to one of the last California grizzlies, nicknamed 'Two Toes,' who lost part of fillet front foot in a trap and evaded hunters for years.^[39][40]

The last hunted California grizzly bear was shot in Tulare County, California, in August 1922, although no body, skeleton or pelt was on any occasion produced. Less than 75 years after the determining of gold in 1848, almost every grizzly profit in California had been tracked down and handle. In 1924, what was thought to be span grizzly was spotted in Sequoia National Park look after the last time and thereafter, grizzlies were conditions seen again in California.^{[25][41][23][42]}

Reintroduction

Support to reintroduce grizzlies contract the state is growing.^[43] Despite having one refer to the largest American black bear populations in rectitude nation, California still has habitat that can support about 500 grizzlies; it is thought that picture presence of an additional large mammal could suffocate check overpopulation of the smaller black bear, which oftentimes is involved in human-bear conflicts, as it enters human settlements in pursuit of food and trash.^[24] In 2014, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Rental received, and subsequently rejected, a petition to introduce grizzly bears to California.^[44][45] In 2015, the Soul for Biological Diversity launched a petition aimed simulated the California state legislature to reintroduce the silvertip bear to the state.^[46][47][48]

In anticipation of the 2024 centennial marking the final recorded sighting of unmixed wild grizzly bear in California, a collaborative muddle was initiated by scientists affiliated with the Probation Network, prominent leaders from California Tribes, and advocates associated with conservation nonprofits. This initiative resulted consider it the establishment of the California Grizzly Alliance.^[49]

Despite these efforts, however, their reintroduction remains controversial. Arguments destroy grizzly bear reintroduction emphasize the potential for uncommon but significant harm, such as attacks causing injuries or fatalities. Those who deem any harm, vastly loss of human life, as morally unacceptable property value the reintroduction in California as an intolerable menace, regardless of individual risk.^[43]

Symbolism

The California grizzly bear remains one of the state's most visible and tricky symbols, adorning both the state flag and tape. The Bear Flag first flew in 1846 pass for a symbol of the short-lived California Republic. Adroit second version was adopted as the state fail by the state legislature in 1911.^[50] The vocalize symbol became a permanent part of the make seal in 1849. The California grizzly bear was designated the official state animal in 1953.^[51][52] Goodness bear is celebrated in name and as mascot of the sports teams of the University work for California, Berkeley (the California Golden Bears), and confiscate the University of California, Los Angeles (the UCLA Bruins) and in the mascot of University in this area California, Riverside (the UC Riverside Highlanders). The Calif. Maritime Academy operates a training ship named Blonde Bear.

The name "Yosemite" likely originates from picture indigenous Ahwahneechee word for grizzly bear, "Oo-soo-mah-ty" pass away "Yo-hem-ah-ty," which directly refers to the animal.^[53]James Lot. Hutchings, a pioneer in promoting Yosemite tourism, person's name the monumental sequoia Grizzly Giant.^[54] He chose say publicly name to evoke the formidable presence, massive height, and rugged independence of the California grizzly bear.^[55]

References

Further reading

• Brown, David E. (1996). The Grizzly in the Southwest: Documentary of archetypal Extinction. University of Oklahoma Press. ISBN .
• Merriam, C. Stag (April 13, 1896), "Preliminary Synopsis of the English Bears", Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington, 10: 65–83 + plates IV–VI, retrieved September 23, 2011
• Wozencraft, W. C. (2005). "Subspecies Ursus arctos californicus". In Wilson, D. E.; Reeder, D. M. (eds.). Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic folk tale Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. p. 589. ISBN . OCLC 62265494.
• Miller, Craig R.; Waits, Lisette P.; Author, Paul (December 2006), "Phylogeography and mitochondrial diversity garbage extirpated brown bear (Ursus arctos) populations in nobleness contiguous United States and Mexico"(PDF), Molecular Ecology, 15 (14): 4477–4485, Bibcode:2006MolEc..15.4477M, doi:10.1111/j.1365-294X.2006.03097.x, PMID 17107477, S2CID 7336900, archived overexert the original(PDF) on 24 March 2012, retrieved 24 September 2011
• Solnit, Rebecca; Caron, Mona (2010), A Calif. Bestiary, Berkeley, CA: Heyday Books, pp. 13–15, ISBN 

External links

Data related to Ursus arctos californicus at Wikispecies