Our Feasibility Study

It has been a century since the last wild grizzly bear was seen in California. And yet the bear’s spirit endures. From our state flag to the thousands of places, landmarks, schools, businesses, and institutions that carry its name or celebrate its image, the grizzly bear remains the quintessential California icon

It is our pleasure to present you, a champion for California’s wildlands and wildlife, with this Feasibility Study. This document is the product of over a decade of work conducted by the California Grizzly Research Network and its partners, including the California Grizzly Alliance, which supported and published it. Drawing from the best available research, including several new analyses, and peer-reviewed by an independent panel of leading scientists, it takes a deep dive into the California grizzly’s history, biology, ecology, and relationship with humans.

This Feasibility Study focuses on a practical question: Could grizzly bears be recovered in California? The answer is almost certainly yes. California likely contains ample habitat and resources to support a grizzly population. The remaining question is whether Californians have the desire and will to bring the missing bear home. As you read this study, we encourage you to reflect on not only what the bear’s return would mean ecologically, but also what it could mean spiritually, culturally, and historically for future Californians.