Help Protect Yosemite’s Bears
Yosemite’s Bear Management Team is dedicated to keeping bears wild and visitors safe.
KeepBearsWild.org is dedicated to raising awareness, appreciation and respect for Yosemite’s iconic and beloved black bears. Protecting bears is something we can all do.
You can help protect Yosemite’s bears by driving slowly and alertly on park roads, storing food properly at all times, and observing bears from a safe and respectful distance.
Drive Slowly
Sadly dozens of black bears are struck by vehicles each year, making vehicle-bear collisions one of the leading causes of black bear mortality in Yosemite. Please drive slowly and alertly, and obey posted speed limits. Speeding kills bears!
Store Your Food
Store your food at all times in a bear-proof locker or canister to prevent bears from becoming conditioned to human food. Not only is proper food storage important to the welfare of Yosemite’s bears, it’s required by law.
Keep Your Distance
Observing and appreciating wild bears safely and respectfully is the responsibility of all park visitors. In fact, the health and well-being of Yosemite’s bears and wildlife depend on the thoughtful choices each and every park visitor makes.
“By nature, bears are curious and intelligent animals that learn quickly from experiences and have an amazing sense of smell. These attributes not only help bears succeed in the wild, but they can also lead to conflicts with people.”
— Caitlin Lee-Roney, Yosemite Wildlife Biologist
KeepBearsWild.org, a collaboration of Yosemite Conservancy, Yosemite National Park, and Wharton Media, is dedicated to raising awareness, appreciation and respect for Yosemite’s iconic and beloved black bears.
