I always thought (maybe I assumed wrongly) that the bear on the California state flag and the bear that's the official state animal was the same species of bear as our mascot, the California Golden Bear. I may have assumed this because the walking bear on the state flag appears to have the exact same shape as the walking bear silhouette logo we use on official hats, clothing, websites, letterhead, etc. - except it's usually walking in the opposite direction. If you compare their outline and the way they're drawn, it's the same, but reversed. I also assumed, as the flagship university of the state, we just adopted the same animal as the official state animal, like other namesake state universities (Wisconsin badgers, etc.)

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But this state website lists the official state animal as the "California Grizzly Bear." So was I wrong that it's the same bear, or is "California Grizzly Bear" the same as "California Golden Bear"? Is one a nickname for the other? A quick Google search wasn't helpful. Anybody know?

I believe golden is colloquial for grizzly. Bears in California were brown and black. Brown or golden refers to Grizzly.

GB54;842478921 said:

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I believe golden is colloquial for grizzly. Bears in California were brown and black. Brown or golden refers to Grizzly.

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Yes, The California grizzly (Ursus arctos californicus) is an extinct subspecies of the grizzly, the very large North American brown bear. "Grizzly" refers to the golden and grey tips of its hair. Genetically, North American grizzlies are closely related; in size and coloring, the California grizzly was much like Kodiak bears, the grizzly of the southern coast of Alaska. In California, it was particularly admired for its beauty, size, and strength. Many accounts from pioneers describe grizzlies in long, bloody fights with angry longhorn bulls, and often winning. The grizzly became a symbol of the Bear Republic, the name that California had when it was an independent nation. Later this national flag became the state flag, and then California was known as the "Bear State."*

In 1866, a grizzly weighing 2,200 pounds (1,000 kg) was killed in Valley Center, California, the biggest bear ever found in California, unsurpassed until John Lang shot the world's biggest bear 2,320 pounds (1,050 kg) near his ranch by Canyon Country, in 1873*

The bears that remain in California are American black bears(Ursus americanus), a medium-sized bear native to North America. It is the continent's smallest and most widely distributed bear species. Black bears are omnivores with their diets varying greatly depending on season and location. They typically live in largely forested areas, but do leave forests in search of food. Sometimes they become attracted to human communities because of the immediate availability of food. The American black bear is the world's most common bear species.*

*From Wikipedia

calumnus;842478934 said:

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Yes, The California grizzly (Ursus arctos californicus) is an extinct subspecies of the grizzly, the very large North American brown bear. "Grizzly" refers to the golden and grey tips of its hair. Genetically, North American grizzlies are closely related; in size and coloring, the California grizzly was much like Kodiak bears, the grizzly of the southern coast of Alaska. In California, it was particularly admired for its beauty, size, and strength. Many accounts from pioneers describe grizzlies in long, bloody fights with angry longhorn bulls, and often winning. The grizzly became a symbol of the Bear Republic, the name that California had when it was an independent nation. Later this national flag became the state flag, and then California was known as the "Bear State."*

In 1866, a grizzly weighing 2,200 pounds (1,000 kg) was killed in Valley Center, California, the biggest bear ever found in California, unsurpassed until John Lang shot the world's biggest bear — 2,320 pounds (1,050 kg) — near his ranch by Canyon Country, in 1873*

The bears that remain in California are American black bears(Ursus americanus), a medium-sized bear native to North America. It is the continent's smallest and most widely distributed bear species. Black bears are omnivores with their diets varying greatly depending on season and location. They typically live in largely forested areas, but do leave forests in search of food. Sometimes they become attracted to human communities because of the immediate availability of food. The American black bear is the world's most common bear species.*

*From Wikipedia

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They were prolific in the late 1950s, but nobody's seen them since 1959.

According to http://www.statesymbolsusa.org/California/animal_grizzly_bear.html:


The California grizzly bear (Ursus californicus) was designated as the official state animal of California in 1953 (more than 30 years after the last one was killed). Before the grizzly bear was exterminated in California, this magnificent animal thrived in the great valleys and low mountains of the state (probably in greater numbers than anywhere else in North America).

About 6-7 years ago the Lair of the Bear had a state ranger give a presentation on the California grizzly and why you won't see it brought back. Grizzlys require LOTS of habitat and we'd have to dedicate about 2 large counties worth to have a sustainable population. Now if we wanted to introduce an un-sustainable population....that would be cool. You'd have to import griz from Montana every few years and risk their adaptation to the new environment. They were accustomed to a riparian habitat for the most part and water is a bit scarce in CA right now....

calumnus;842478934 said:

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Yes, The California grizzly (Ursus arctos californicus) is an extinct subspecies of the grizzly, the very large North American brown bear. "Grizzly" refers to the golden and grey tips of its hair. Genetically, North American grizzlies are closely related; in size and coloring, the California grizzly was much like Kodiak bears, the grizzly of the southern coast of Alaska. In California, it was particularly admired for its beauty, size, and strength. Many accounts from pioneers describe grizzlies in long, bloody fights with angry longhorn bulls, and often winning. The grizzly became a symbol of the Bear Republic, the name that California had when it was an independent nation. Later this national flag became the state flag, and then California was known as the "Bear State."*

In 1866, a grizzly weighing 2,200 pounds (1,000 kg) was killed in Valley Center, California, the biggest bear ever found in California, unsurpassed until John Lang shot the world's biggest bear — 2,320 pounds (1,050 kg) — near his ranch by Canyon Country, in 1873*

The bears that remain in California are American black bears(Ursus americanus), a medium-sized bear native to North America. It is the continent's smallest and most widely distributed bear species. Black bears are omnivores with their diets varying greatly depending on season and location. They typically live in largely forested areas, but do leave forests in search of food. Sometimes they become attracted to human communities because of the immediate availability of food. The American black bear is the world's most common bear species.*

*From Wikipedia

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Agree. The fur of the California Grizzly Bear appeared to be Gold in bright sunlight.
They were known for their toughness and ferocity and were the bane of the existence of the gold (California) and silver (Nevada) prospectors in the Sierra Nevada who were familiar with the black bears of the East.
One common warning to novice prospectors was "Don't shoot them. You will only make them angry."

76oldblue;842478949 said:

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According to http://www.statesymbolsusa.org/California/animal_grizzly_bear.html:


The California grizzly bear (Ursus californicus) was designated as the official state animal of California in 1953 (more than 30 years after the last one was killed). Before the grizzly bear was exterminated in California, this magnificent animal thrived in the great valleys and low mountains of the state (probably in greater numbers than anywhere else in North America).

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Interesting. The California grizzly bear was the Cal mascot before it was the official State animal. I thought it was vice-versa.

68great;842478965 said:

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Interesting. The California grizzly bear was the Cal mascot before it was the official State animal. I thought it was vice-versa.

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Well it was on the Bear Republic flag and then California state flag before there was a Cal.

LINK: SFGate - Could much-feared grizzlies hit the comeback trail?

LINK: LATimes - California: The next grizzly habitat? Some want to see it happen

From SFGate:

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Kings Canyon National Park --

The ghost of the California grizzly bear still lurks in the rugged backcountry here nearly a century after the last of its kind vanished.

The hulking specter of the legendary beast haunts the giant sequoias, skulks along the mountain ridges, floats through the brilliant green meadows and lives as a reminder in places like Grizzly Falls in adjacent Sequoia National Park.

It was in this spectacular High Sierra wilderness where Ursus californicus - the most fearsome of all bear species - was last seen in 1924. And it is here, amid the granite cliffs and roiling Kings River, where conservationists want to bring back California's most revered predator.

The Center for Biological Diversity filed a legal petition this month calling on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to return grizzlies to their former stomping grounds in California and throughout the American West.

"Grizzly bears are an iconic animal in this state. They are on the flag. They are on road signs," said Noah Greenwald, the endangered-species director for the Center for Biological Diversity. "The loss of large predators is a global problem, from lions in the African savannah to tigers to wolves to bears in North America. It has had real consequences for ecosystems. Bringing the bears back would correct a historic wrong."

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A 2,000 lb bear in California? No thanks. Too frickin' alpha. You ever see a cat playing with a mouse just before he kills it?

calumnus;842478934 said:

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They typically live in largely forested areas, but do leave forests in search of food

*From Wikipedia

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Not always, LOL!!
I actually am the owner of a Lair of the Bear in Incline Village NV.
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The dude or dudette lived in the crawl space for at least 2 winters.
He/she got inside the dwelling via an access opening.
All the bedding, pillows and drapes were dragged down underneath to make his/her bed.
But he/she thought it might be more comfy to have a recliner, so he/she tried to drag down this lazyboy....
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Cheers!!
Go Bears!!!

So, as I understand it, the "California Golden Bear" exists only as our mascot (and never existed in the past, either, except as our mascot), though it is modeled after the California Grizzly Bear.

Go Bears!

Big C_Cal;842479034 said:

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So, as I understand it, the "California Golden Bear" exists only as our mascot (and never existed in the past, either, except as our mascot), though it is modeled after the California Grizzly Bear.

Go Bears!

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I'm not sure the original question was answered. I thought the California Golden Bear was a distinct species. The posts above seem to suggest it was another name for the California Grizzly Bear.

Are these the same or different species?

EDIT - Wikipedia suggests they are the same, though if I'm not mistaken the plaque inside the glass case displaying the stuffed "California Golden Bear" at the MLK Student Union makes no mention of anything other than the "California Golden Bear".

bearsandgiants;842478940 said:

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They were prolific in the late 1950s, but nobody's seen them since 1959.

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This is extremely unfortunate. I had always held out hope that we'd get a live one to run on to the field before football games to rival Ralphie the Buff. I guess we'll just have to settle for Oski.

OsoDorado;842479039 said:

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I'm not sure the original question was answered. I thought the California Golden Bear was a distinct species. The posts above seem to suggest it was another name for the California Grizzly Bear.

Are these the same or different species?

EDIT - Wikipedia suggests they are the same, though if I'm not mistaken the plaque inside the glass case displaying the stuffed "California Golden Bear" at the MLK Student Union makes no mention of anything other than the "California Golden Bear".

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"California Golden Bear" is a grizzly

TheSouseFamily;842479057 said:

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This is extremely unfortunate. I had always held out hope that we'd get a live one to run on to the field before football games to rival Ralphie the Buff. I guess we'll just have to settle for Oski.

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Wasn't there a pre Oski time when they did use a real bear?

http://www.monarchbear.org/monarch

Story of Monarch, the grizzly who was the model for the state flag.
There is a statute of him at the SF Zoo.

http://bancroft.berkeley.edu/Exhibits/bearinmind/themes/mascot/02.html

Story of Cal's mascot v

OsoDorado;842479039 said:

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I'm not sure the original question was answered. I thought the California Golden Bear was a distinct species. The posts above seem to suggest it was another name for the California Grizzly Bear.

Are these the same or different species?

EDIT - Wikipedia suggests they are the same, though if I'm not mistaken the plaque inside the glass case displaying the stuffed "California Golden Bear" at the MLK Student Union makes no mention of anything other than the "California Golden Bear".

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It (Ursus arctos californicus) was a sub-species of Grizzly (think of dog breeds), much like the Kodiak bear is an unusually big sub-species of Grizzly, and was apparently the largest bear in the world.

"California Grizzly," "California Brown Bear" "California Golden Bear" were all common names for the same sub-species (like "mountain lion," "puma," and "cougar" are all names for the same species).

calumnus;842479327 said:

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It (Ursus arctos californicus) was a sub-species of Grizzly (think of dog breeds), much like the Kodiak bear is an unusually big sub-species of Grizzly, and was apparently the largest bear in the world.

"California Grizzly," "California Brown Bear" "California Golden Bear" were all common names for the same sub-species (like "mountain lion," "puma," and "cougar" are all names for the same species.

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Well sometimes cougar means something altogether different.