Yosemite Bears

2026 Total Bear Incidents: 20 incidents

2026 Total Property Damage: $14,300

Bear Activity Summary: White-stemmed raspberries are in season! With the availability of wild fruit, bears are seen every day on the Yosemite Valley floor. It is very important to keep human food within arm’s reach and to put trash inside a bear-resistant trash can or dumpster. Bears ate human food or trash seven times in Yosemite Valley this week including food from a food storage locker that was left open or improperly latched. Some bears ate food from trash left out next to trash cans and dumpsters. Bears that get human food and trash can become dangerous and do not get to live long wild lives.

Visitors have also approached to close to bears foraging near roads and trails. This week, a mother bear was separated from one of her two small cubs for eight hours because people continued to approach the bear. In Yosemite, the minimum distance required to stay away from bears is 50 yards or four shuttle bus lengths. When humans get close to a bear and nothing bad happens, the bear loses its wildness. Staying far away from bears (especially sows with cubs) will protect them and their offspring.

Fascinating Bear Facts: While American black bears (Ursus americanus) are often black in color elsewhere on the continent, Sierra Nevada black bears are usually shades of brown.

Red Bear, Dead Bear: Five bears have been hit by vehicles so far this year. Please slow down.

Other Wildlife: Sierra Nevada bighorn sheep are the rarest mountain sheep in North America.

Please report bear incidents and sightings: Call the Save-A-Bear Hotline at 209-372-0322 or e-mail yose_bear_mgmt@nps.gov. For more information about Yosemite’s bears, please visit: https://www.KeepBearsWild.org