"the history of feeding bears in Yosemite" Top 5 Page for this destination Yosemite National Park Local Custom Tip by richiecdisc

There is a misconception that black bears are relatively harmless, at least compared to grizzlies but this is assuredly not the case. This probably stems from size comparisons and the fact that grizzlies are more noted to eat meat as well as plants. The truth is that both can be dangerous and that bears truly do differ between individuals. This can even be in regard to groups of bears and the black bears of Yosemite, Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Parks are amongst the most aggressive bears in the world. How did this come to be? Well, we taught them to be that way.

Yosemite is one of the first National Parks and certainly one of the first to gain widespread popularity. There was a sizable population of bears and little sense of management of the interaction between the growing number of visitors and the true natives that called the area home long before it became a park. This led to park personnel feeding the bears on a regular basis as a form of entertainment. Bears being smart creatures learned quickly where to find a free and easy meal. Monkey see, monkey do and visitors couldn't be blamed for doing much the same. It led to problems immediately and the park came to realize the danger and implication of feeding the bears but visitors were much slower in making the change. There are people today who probably think there's nothing wrong with feeding wildlife including bears.

Once people stopped feeding them, the bears were still looking for the free food they had become accustomed to. Where else is a bear going to get a bag of potato chips? Bears are very smart and adaptable animals and they learned that food was in cars and soon knew well how to break into cars. They taught their young who taught their young. Yosemite has the biggest problem with car break-ins by bears of any place on the planet and it all stems back to habits they picked up from us feeding them.

By nature, black bears are omnivores and while animal matter makes up only 10-15% of their diet if a person feeds a bear bacon every day for a few weeks he's bound to start looking for more if taken away. We spotted this older bear just off the trail, tearing the bark off a fallen tree to get to the insects within, a typical behavior of a bear in nature. He seemed totally disinterested in us or the good we had in our backpack. That's how it should be and how it would be if people were more careful with their food, their trash, and anything else that might attract a bear. Keep bears wild, healthy and alive. Do not let them get to anything of yours and by all means, do not feed them.