California Black Bear
Ursus americanus californiensis
The California Black Bear is the only subspecies of black bear native to California. With adults coming in at an average weight of 150-350 lbs. with some reaching up too 500lbs. Although they are named “black bears,” they actually are found in a range of colors from lighter shades of brown, the rare blonde, reddish cinnamon and black. They can live up to 20 years and are generally fearful creatures quick to avoid humans under normal circumstances.
There are currently 16 subspecies of American Black Bear recognized, although genetic studies find that some might not be distinct enough to be considered subspecies.
From the images I’ve captured over the past few years there seems to be at least two black bears within the vicinity. One that is possibly two years old due to how small and slender it appears, the other at least 5 years old and has much broader hips. As you can see they are more in the brown color phase than they are black.
Fun Fact
Black bears are more closely related to Asian Black Bears, than they are to Brown “Grizzly” Bears.
- Number of confirmed specimens : 2, possibly more
- Number of pictures : 32
References
Reis, Fiona A. A Field Guide to Mammals of North America North of Mexico. 4th ed., Houghton Mifflin Company, 2006, pp 102-103, 152-153, 450-451
American black bear, Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 09 April 2026, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_black_bear#:~:text=Ursus%20americanus%20californiensis,may%20feature%20cinnamon%2Dcolored%20fur. Accessed 26 April 2026