A new proposal to reintroduce more than 1,000 grizzly bears into California’s wilderness is raising serious concerns from local officials, ranchers, and residents across the state.
The nonprofit Rewilding Earth submitted a petition to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service requesting a formal rule to bring grizzlies back to California under the Endangered Species Act. The idea? To repopulate areas where the species once thrived—including Yosemite, the Sierra Nevada, and coastal mountain ranges—before they were wiped out by the early 1900s.
If approved, the plan would mark a dramatic wildlife shift: no wild grizzlies have roamed California since 1924.
But while environmental advocates support the move for biodiversity and ecosystem balance, many local leaders aren’t on board. Siskiyou County officials warned of potential conflicts with humans, livestock, and other species. The California Cattlemen’s Association also pushed back, saying ranchers could face massive losses without proper protections.
Under current law, grizzlies are listed as a threatened species in the lower 48 states. Bringing them back to California would likely take years of environmental reviews, public input, and policy decisions.
For now, the debate continues: should California reclaim its wild roots—or is this one apex predator better left in the past?
