If it were an election, it would be a landslide defeat. Instead, it was an informal survey created by a state senator from northern California to gauge the feelings of her constituents about reintroducing grizzly bears into California.  

“I was already skeptical of the idea, but I genuinely wanted feedback, and I got plenty of that,” said Sen. Megan Dahle on her Facebook page. 

More than two thousand residents responded to the question, “Would you support bringing grizzlies back to California?” Seventy-six percent of them said, “no.” The other 24 percent was almost evenly split between “maybe” and “yes.” 

The grizzly is California’s official state animal, although the last one to live there was about a century ago. Talk lingered over the years about possibly reintroducing them, although such talk did not translate into any traction. 

However, in February of this year, State Senator Laura Richardson  introduced a bill co-authored by fellow Senators Catherine Blakespear, Henry Stern and Weber Pierson to establish a state policy framework for introducing grizzlies into California and directs the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) to begin planning for it.   

“Reintroducing grizzly bears potentially into places where people live, recreate and raise livestock would likely necessitate further management of human-wildlife conflicts, which is already extremely challenging with the animal species that are here — notably mountain lions, wolves, black bears and coyotes,” Peter Tira, CDFW spokesman, told the Los Angeles Times.   

Proponents cite a pro-introduction study to best place grizzlies in upper-central or northern California. The sponsoring senators live in southern California. Residents in the northern part of the state are already dealing with predator issues where CDFW lethally removed four problem wolves because of repeated livestock killings. Local government officials also declared a state of emergency there because of the growing wolf population and its impacts.  

“This is not just about fear of change. I appreciate the many thoughtful comments sharing practical concerns,” said Sen. Dahle. “I am grateful for everyone who responded — including those who admire the grizzly and would like to see it return — but reintroducing these bears would be a dangerous proposal at best. I will be opposing SB 1305.” 

Hunt 2 Conserve opposes the legislation as it is not grounded in ecological necessity, but rather in a philosophical vision about what some believe California’s landscape should represent. 

About Hunt 2 Conserve 

Hunt 2 Conserve is a 501(c)4 nonprofit organization affiliated with the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. Its mission is to advance a legacy of hunting and conservation by educating, activating and developing stewards and defenders of these fundamentally American ideals. For more information, go to hunt2conserve.org. 

(Graphic credit: Senator Megan Dahle)