That means bears will be out and about in Yosemite National Park<\/a>.<\/p>\n After \u201cmonths without eating,\u201d older bears are hungry and \u201cespecially motivated by strong smells,\u201d state wildlife officials said. \u201cThe cubs, meanwhile, will learn everything from their mother, including where to find food and what\u2019s safe to eat.<\/p>\n Bears search far and wide for food sources<\/a> \u2014 and won\u2019t be stopped by doors, fences, trash cans or other barriers between them and tasty morsels, The Idaho Statesman previously reported.<\/p>\n That\u2019s the source of most conflicts between humans and bears.<\/p>\n \u201cWith more hungry bears soon on the landscape, it\u2019s especially important to remain vigilant in keeping bears from accessing human-sourced food and garbage,\u201d the state wildlife agency said. \u201cPreventing bears from becoming dependent on human-sourced food keeps them wild and largely free from conflict.\u201d<\/p>\n Here\u2019s what to know:<\/p>\n \u201cAmerican black bears found in Yosemite<\/a> National Park have long been of intense interest to park visitors and managers,\u201d the National Park Service said \u201cSeeing one of the approximately 300 to 500 black bears in Yosemite can evoke excitement, awe, and fear.\u201d<\/p>\n In general, black bears in California<\/a> start hunkering down in dens between October and December, and remain inside several weeks or months, \u201cdepending on local climate and other conditions,\u201d the California Department of Fish and Wildlife said.<\/p>\n These \u201chighly efficient hibernators\u201d find shelter \u201cunder fallen logs, in vegetation thickets, high up trees, in crevices, or even under decks and patios,\u201d the state wildlife agency said.<\/p>\n The bears start emerging in the spring, usually between March and May, the department said.<\/p>\n Adult male bears usually hibernate for less time, hunkering down later and emerging earlier than adult female bears, especially those pregnant with cubs.<\/p>\n Black bears can appear brown or even blond or reddish brown, the National Park Service said, noting that \u201ctruly black-colored bears are rare in the West.\u201d<\/p>\n Grizzly bears no longer exist in the wild in California, even though they\u2019re featured on the state flag.<\/p>\n \u201cThe last known grizzly bear was shot outside the Yosemite region in the early 1920s,\u201d state park officials said.<\/p>\n Conflicts between humans and black bears are reported \u201cin urban, rural and mountain communities<\/a> through much of California,\u201d the state Fish and Wildlife Department said.<\/p>\n \u201cAs our human population expands into wildlife habitat, human-wildlife interactions have increased<\/a>,\u201d the department said.<\/p>\n \u201cMost wild animals, including black bears, naturally avoid or fear humans,\u201d state wildlife officials explained.<\/p>\n However, bears can lose their fear of humans<\/a> and associate them with food sources, leading to property damage, public safety risks and the loss of small livestock or pets, Fish and Wildlife said.<\/p>\n In November, Yosemite National Park reported a total of 34 bear incidents<\/a>, nearly half of them in campgrounds.<\/p>\n \u201cNo one has been killed or seriously injured by a black bear in Yosemite,\u201d the National Park Service said.<\/p>\n In a March 19 Facebook post, Yosemite content creator Flyinghdawnmarie shared a video of a black bear<\/a> she encountered while hiking<\/p>\n \u201cBears here aren\u2019t something to be afraid of,\u201d the content creator wrote on Facebook. \u201cBut they are wild animals. And this is their home. Being \u2018bear aware’ isn\u2019t about fear \u2014 it\u2019s about respect.\u201d<\/p>\n If you encounter a black bear<\/a> in Yosemite National Park, what you should next \u201cdepends on the situation,\u201d according to the National Park Service.<\/p>\n If a bear approaches you in a developed area such as a campground, picnic area, parking lot, or lodging area, you should \u201cact immediately\u201d to scare it away, park officials said.<\/p>\n \u201cScare the bear away by yelling aggressively and as loudly as possible until the bear leaves,\u201d the park service said. \u201cThe bear is intruding on your personal space: act angry and be persistent.\u201d<\/p>\n Raise or wave your arms<\/a> and make loud noises by clapping your hands or using a noisemaker.<\/p>\n You can also stand together with other people \u201cto present a more intimidating figure,\u201d as long as you don\u2019t surround the bear, the Park Service said.<\/p>\n Park officials do not recommend \u201cthrowing food at the bear\u201d as this will \u201conly encourage its behavior.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNever have out more food than you can control and do not leave food out of arm\u2019s reach, even for a moment,\u201d the National Park Service said. \u201cScaring a bear away, along with storing your food properly, helps keep bears wild and alive.\u201d<\/p>\n If you spot a bear outside a developed area, keep a distance of at least 50 yards \u2014 the equivalent of four shuttle buses parked end to end, the park service said.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you get closer, you will be helping the bear become used to being around people,\u201d park service officials said. \u201cBears that become comfortable around people lose their natural fear of us and sometimes become too aggressive; sometimes they then have to be killed.\u201d<\/p>\n Rangers use \u201cnon-lethal aversive tactics\u201d to chase the bear out of developed area, including yelling, using noisemakers or shooting non-lethal projectiles such as rubber slugs or clear paintballs, the park service said.<\/p>\n \u201cThe intent is not to harm the bear, but to scare it from the area and restore its natural fear of people by providing a negative experience,\u201d part officials said.<\/p>\n \u201cThese techniques are highly effective when done well,\u201d the park service said.<\/p>\n How to stay safe while outdoors in bear country<\/p>\n \u201cBlack bear encounters resulting in human injury are rare in California,\u201d state wildlife officials said, but the predators can be unpredictable.<\/p>\n \u201cMost black bear \u2018attacks\u2019 are defensive actions if the animal is protecting cubs, becomes startled or scared,\u201d officials said, adding that food-conditioned or habituated black bears can become bold and start acting aggressively toward people. \u201cEach situation is different.\u201d<\/p>\n To stay safe outdoors in bear country, you should:<\/p>\n Know the area where you\u2019re hiking, camping or fishing, and stay aware of your surroundings at all times.Leash your pets while outdoors.Keep pets within eyesight and secure at all times. Don\u2019t let them sleep outside.Watch for signs of black bears, including scat, tracks, den sites, and bark stripped off trees.Make your presence known by talking loudly or whistling.Travel in groups. It\u2019s also a good idea to:<\/p>\n Remove any unsecured food from inside your car.Remove any unsecured food or strongly-scented items in your tent.Store human and pet food, toiletries, and scented items inside bear-resistant food canisters or bear lockers.Remove trash regularly.Clean fish or field dress animals away from your campsite.Clean grills, dishes, and your eating area after every meal.Change out of clothes you cooked or ate in before going to bed.How can I report a bear sighting?<\/p>\n If you spot a bear at Yosemite National Park, let a ranger know in person or leave a message at 209-372-0322<\/a>. If the bear is trying to get human food or won\u2019t leave a developed area, call 911<\/a>.<\/p>\n You can also fill out a wildlife observation report<\/a> online.<\/p>\n Visitors to Yosemite National Park can keep track of bear incidents<\/a> on the park\u2019s website, which is \u201cupdated as often as possible.\u201d<\/p>\n Loading\u2026<\/p>\n Related Stories from Fresno Bee<\/p>\n![\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/b1bbcba5-a338-490a-bd33-24fcdb3b9c28.jpeg\" "\\"b1bbcba5-a338-490a-bd33-24fcdb3b9c28\\"")
Black bears\u2019 search for food sometimes brings them closer to people. Photo by Jonathan Newton\/Getty Images When are black bears active in California?<\/p>\n![\"Yosemite](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/jason-hogan-3QDpbAbrVMQ-unsplash.jpg\" "\\"jason-hogan-3QDpbAbrVMQ-unsplash.jpg\\"")
Yosemite rangers say they have found signs that bears are climbing Half Dome at the national park in California. Jason Hogan Usnplashhhh <\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/bear1.jpg\" "\\"bear1.jpg\\"")
A black bear approaches the Grizzly Giant tree in Yosemite National Park\u2019s Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias in August 2022. Scott Gediman\/NPS Photo Special to The Bee How common are conflicts between bears and humans?<\/p>\n![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/726137d8-fef4-4d08-a7d3-2020b35546e9.jpeg\" "\\"726137d8-fef4-4d08-a7d3-2020b35546e9\\"")
Photo by Friso Gentsch\/picture alliance via Getty Images What to do if you see a bear in Yosemite National Park<\/p>\n![\"If](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/74d76269-9ec0-49a7-99eb-15e19fe5cf45.jpeg\" "\\"74d76269-9ec0-49a7-99eb-15e19fe5cf45\\"")
If you spot a black bear, keep your distance. Image via Shutterstock\/Wirestock Creators <\/p>\n A still image captured from a 1998 video when Yosemite National Park experienced 100 bear incidents, including 87 car breakins in the month of June. Yosemite National Park <\/p>\n
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