How many bears are in Sequoia?

California is home to an estimated 35,000 black bears; several hundred live within the 865,000-acre contiguous spread of Sequoia &Kings Canyon National Parks. Each year, two black bears on average are destroyed after numerous documented efforts are made to deter their taste for the food humans eat.



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Perhaps the most high-profile of Sequoia wildlife, black bears thrive in the park. Despite their name, black bears can be brown, cinnamon, or even blonde in color. Black bears are not usually aggressive, and often escape danger by climbing trees.

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This guidance applies specifically to black bears, not grizzly bears (which do not occur in these parks).

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Photo courtesy of Michelle Harris, Samantha Winiecki-Love, Ryan Slezak and Colibri Ecological Consulting via CDFW. On August 11, 2023, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) announced that a new pack of gray wolves (Canis lupus) has been confirmed within Sequoia National Forest in Tulare County, CA!

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Weapons (including, but not limited to, BB, Pellet and Paint Guns, Bow/Arrow, Slingshots, Bear Spray and other compressed gas irritant devices) are illegal to possess. Discharge of a firearm or weapon is prohibited within Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks.

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Yosemite, Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks Possession of weapons, including bear spray, is prohibited. Possession of firearms is subject to state regulations. In all wilderness areas along the JMT, proper food storage is mandatory.

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