California Could Bring Back Grizzly Bears Under New Bill, Drawing Backlash

California may have the grizzly bear on its flag, but the actual animal hasn’t been in the state since 1924. A new bill, the California Grizzly Recovery Assessment Act, could be the first step in changing that.

Senate Bill 1305, introduced by Sen. Laura Richardson, would direct the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to develop a public roadmap to potentially reintroduce the species in the state by 2030. Under SB1305, the state could reintroduce grizzlies only after determining that a self-sustaining population is biologically viable, consulting with Native American tribes, determining the ecological impact, and adopting procedures to minimize risks to human life and property, among other requirements.

CDFW would have until June 30, 2028 to submit its findings to lawmakers.

The bill is sponsored by the Tejon and Yurok Native American tribes, for whom the bear holds deep historical and cultural significance.

“It’s important for people to realize that the grizzly bear isn’t just a symbol on a flag — it was a real animal that shaped California’s ecosystems and holds deep meaning for Tribal Nations across the state,” Tejon Tribe Chairman Octavio Escobedo III said in an April news release.

However, many politicians and residents, particularly in rural and ranching communities, have expressed concerns about the potential danger to humans and animals. Many pointed to the reintroduction of gray wolves as a cautionary tale, citing increases in livestock losses.

“California is already struggling to take care of the apex predators that we have now, and what’s happened with the wolves has woken people up to the fact that we don’t have enough prey for the predators that we have, and we don’t have the staff for CDFW to manage them,” said Rick Roberti, president of the California Cattlemen’s Association, told SFGATE. “And wolves are nothing compared to the grizzly.”

Other skeptics voiced concern at the possibility of attacks on humans, though those are relatively rare, often take place in the backcountry, and are mostly in defense, particularly when a bear feels her cubs are being threatened.

Brendan Cummings, conservation director at the Center for Biological Diversity, called fears about attacks on humans and animals “completely overblown.”

“They’re big and fierce animals, but at the end of the day, they’re mostly vegetarian, minding their own business, looking for food and other things in life. And we’re an annoyance at most, and they’ll do everything in their power to avoid us,” he told SFGATE.

Any reintroduction would be carefully managed. A small number of bears would be placed in remote areas with ample access to food, and a low likelihood of encounters with humans or cattle, Cummings said. Each bear would also be tracked using GPS collars.

A study from the California Grizzly Alliance identified three areas within the state for potential re-introduction: the southern Sierra Nevada (from Sequoia and Kings Canyon to Yosemite), Northern California’s coastal ranges near Redwood National and State Parks, and the Sespe Wilderness in Los Padres National Forest.

“It’s a remarkable state with millions of acres of protected habitat,” Cummings told SFGATE. “There are a lot of people in California, but no one’s proposing to reintroduce grizzlies into Downtown LA.”