Top 10 States With the Largest Black Bear Populations in 2024

Colorado maintains 18,500 black bears across the Rocky Mountains.

[{"selector":"#anim-1229f419-9408-4821-bf89-01b351f027c2","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e177fc16-4240-4d56-8296-54f00baf9d43","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(114.87342%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1234849b-58f1-4cb4-b826-2faa48ce913b","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-eb37a187-3d28-4de7-89cb-b89b7c52df54","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3ebb06c7-9b5c-43ff-b757-c4565b979296","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d1659ba6-aea5-47b9-916e-c412bbdce8fe","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -91.32387%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: Pxhere 10

Pennsylvania maintains 20,000 black bears within northern forests and mountain territories.

[{"selector":"#anim-ce6d8fc5-d65c-4f08-9704-41cf0fc79e96","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-26ae40fc-fe83-40df-92a5-629db5dd2513","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-115.50632%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6a096c34-f3c7-4206-b52f-da997b3036f1","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-828a3724-adc3-435c-9bf7-b89de221136b","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6e58d8fd-ec4e-4344-bea4-25fda4d52a7d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a94da5e3-0515-415b-a8e2-f5de9acaf636","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 99.83452%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: Dabler (CC BY-SA 3.0) 09

North Carolina supports 20,000 black bears across Great Smoky Mountains and coastal plain regions.

[{"selector":"#anim-17fbede8-e54e-4dd5-a1f3-00b64a66d573","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-15f0c455-b6ef-4d0f-9946-d306f841817f","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -91.32387%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-84374010-6ef1-45e3-87ff-7e7d7938b714","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(114.87342%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-77ce6496-1ab1-45b1-8a7a-12464bbd9801","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-54aa83ca-3b0b-4f9a-a782-51b48a3ec169","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-67b4874b-068f-4d63-b9c5-adc95d3df737","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: Animalia (CC BY-SA 3.0) 08

Wisconsin's northern forests sustain 24,000 black bears in their mixed coniferous and deciduous landscapes.

[{"selector":"#anim-216531fe-0710-4172-bf43-a333e3d03daf","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8778be1c-e188-4f98-a5ff-095df623af0d","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 99.83452%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f951d7e7-cfeb-4a55-931f-e4fe78ef8069","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-115.50632%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a1656a9d-f697-41cf-98cb-5c74aacb97d6","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ce44be8f-ee14-4f5c-a726-189834e48c86","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8c986dab-c921-46e1-aa2b-84bd56727ee3","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: PickPik 07

Oregon houses 27,500 black bears within the Cascade Range and coastal wilderness.

[{"selector":"#anim-710b2db9-6d32-4cdd-a29a-e7652eadc783","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-07b99f2b-4aa2-42fc-a006-4ce0edf60f08","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -91.32387%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-56980d46-1773-4a22-8723-5217392dcf45","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(114.87342%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0adfd753-f130-4b8a-bd2a-08ffe58c0c98","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-47880846-beb8-465a-ac1c-3895ba274158","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7b9e29be-e39b-49cf-9528-7b42d3e10823","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: Ulrich Burkhalter (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0) 06

Washington supports 27,500 black bears across the Olympic Peninsula and eastern forests.

[{"selector":"#anim-fbb497bb-b066-479e-828b-554ed8661942","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7acf2f94-8e3e-444d-a488-6593060aa780","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 99.83452%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-04980593-73ea-4291-9a27-f943f655a091","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-115.50632%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2cf38f2b-6ef3-48da-a985-ad58f02a1d76","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f48bd455-5964-42fc-a10c-ed72e8dc445a","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-eac77135-927a-4720-9701-699f2f562053","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: Pxhere 05

Idaho's mountainous terrain provides sanctuary to 30,000 black bears in the Sawtooth and Bitterroot ranges.

[{"selector":"#anim-3c802de8-7cf6-4b49-aa53-0c6c7da48a50","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-80987456-33e4-4958-817f-5a2d8d0de8e4","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -91.32387%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b946f226-0142-4dc6-9795-774a53cdfa93","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(114.87342%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-14beadac-91e4-47df-8fb9-34d9dfdb407e","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b6f96ead-a0b6-46b9-bb71-750447bd7b27","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-cc2b1062-adab-45c5-aa57-aff57322cf99","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: Pickpik 04

California maintains 35,000 black bears across diverse habitats from redwood forests to Sierra Nevada.

[{"selector":"#anim-4cba64bd-4397-4981-9d7b-ef7a061d19b6","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4c2afe69-ff6d-43db-b293-67e33e706c2a","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 99.83452%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f1958f75-cc8d-48be-9a24-834a1aa67abf","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-115.50632%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2c06452a-b0b0-4fab-96b7-674e9bcf7280","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-50579957-3ef5-4fba-be0c-0a60b9f3f435","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0059fb74-1508-4328-96ae-9f519f8af5b7","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: Tim Lumley (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0) 03

Maine shelters 35,000 black bears throughout its northern and western woodlands.

[{"selector":"#anim-5d4eafe0-6eaf-485c-a4f1-8be508e1c528","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-49faa7b3-dd94-40ed-be29-86a224193513","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -99.81913%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c605633c-8bea-46b5-9090-cd98c48d4699","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(114.87342%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d1d7a078-12e5-4c06-8762-cf833e3bba73","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-83fdf6a3-f73e-4be8-9e45-e8ab3cd5a075","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7ade117e-15c1-46f5-bbc5-5cb83bb3a3db","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: Pickpik 02

Alaska's wilderness supports 100,000 black bears throughout its expansive terrain.

[{"selector":"#anim-c1c76303-ecc4-44a5-bf48-fa00afbb8bfd","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5a5a5e1a-da2b-4b56-8f07-68d30bb5b2b1","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 99.83452%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4afee52e-8fa9-4be2-a752-fde65e8b3e53","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-115.50632%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1dd70fe4-5971-4be2-a982-921df18c924c","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-fc927c86-d252-4dce-99d4-9be99f15e1d7","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f782cae9-8b83-4005-bef4-fb646a632bab","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: Ryan Poplin (CC BY-SA 2.0) 01

US Coyote Population Hits 4.7 Million Mark: Texas Leads With 859,510 Wild Canines

[{"selector":"#anim-a5c45c52-4437-43e4-b1ea-417127999232","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-90278ad2-6143-4c2d-9021-df1f0f903d3c","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 194.00070%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e335a164-fd02-4f0c-be0e-7c447d70e616","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-115.50632%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-83cca9e6-c914-41f5-a306-fa14565cf1c1","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-58f3743c-f693-4ef5-b7d3-d7c234b72f59","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ea987625-99be-4bff-8fc7-fb6ed39ba184","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Learn more