Bear Incident Comparisons (year to date—previous years compared to 2025):

Bear Activity Summary: Bears are active throughout the park. Three new incidents occurred in July, all in wilderness areas involving bears getting human food from hikers and backpackers. Two of these incidents occurred on the Snow Creek Trail above the footbridge and the third incident was above the Yosemite Falls trail. Other bear observations have come in from Tuolumne Meadows where a bear has been scavenging a deer carcass and from the Crane Flat campground. Please remember to always keep your food with you when out day hiking or enjoying the park –within arm’s-reach.

Bears in Yosemite Valley have been eating apples from the historic apple trees and the remaining summer raspberry crop. Many park workgroups came together on July 23, along with volunteers, to pick apples from the Curry Village parking lot where the apples draw bears into areas with people. Picking the fruit helps reduce human-bear incidents protecting both bears and human safety.

Red Bear, Dead Bear: Please help protect wildlife by obeying speed limits and being prepared to stop for animals in roadways. Sixteen bears have been struck in Yosemite so far this year, including seven in the month of July. Two bears hit by vehicles in July died as a result of the vehicle strikes.

Fascinating Bear Facts: Bears can travel great distances to return to a known food source. Relocated bears frequently return within days in Yosemite, and in the process of returning, risk encountering vehicles as well as human development. For this reason, YNP usually avoids relocating bears.

Other Wildlife: A mountain lion and cub were observed crossing the Wawona road at Wawona campground.

Please report bear incidents and sightings: Call the Save-A-Bear Hotline at 209-372-0322 or e-mail yose_bear_mgmt@nps.gov.

Bear Activity Summary: Bears are being reported consistently in Yosemite Valley, but are likely active throughout much of the park’s lower elevations. This week bears got food from an unlatched food locker in Curry Village and trash from a residential garage. So far this year bears have been documented getting into human food and trash in most lodging and camping areas, as well as in many residential areas.

Last week, wildlife management staff captured and GPS collared an adult male bear suspected of getting into a garage so its behavior could be monitored. Bear jams are occurring almost daily and several sow and yearling pairs have been observed and have caused small crowds in Yosemite Valley. No cubs have been seen yet, but yearlings and adult bears appear to be in good body condition coming from hibernation. Acorns, especially black oak, are still abundant on the ground in the Valley from last fall. Please remember that if you see a bear in the park give it plenty of space (at least 50 yards, but if the bear is reacting to you, you are too close). If you see a bear in a campground, hotel, or other human developed area yell and make lots of noise to scare it away.

Red Bear, Dead Bear: Please help protect wildlife by obeying speed limits and being prepared to stop for animals in roadways. Twenty-one bears were hit by vehicles in 2024 with three confirmed dead.  No bears have been documented as hit-by-vehicle so far in 2025.

Fascinating Bear Facts: Black bears have an average of two cubs at a time. Litters of one or three are not uncommon and bears can even have four or more. The litter size often increases with age and body size/condition of the mother. Females generally become sexually mature at three to four years of age, but may be delayed to as late as seven in less productive habitats.

Other Wildlife: Avian influenza is still being reported and monitored throughout the United States. This virus can impact animals beyond birds, including mammals. Remember to not handle or approach any wildlife in Yosemite and report sick and dead animals to Wildlife Management.

Please report bear incidents and sightings: Call the Save-A-Bear Hotline at 209-372-0322 or e-mail yose_bear_mgmt@nps.gov.

2025 Total Property Damage: $394

Bear Incident Comparisons (year to date—previous years compared to 2025):

Bear Incident Comparisons (year to date—previous years compared to 2024):

Bears this time of year are spending the majority of their time eating, trying to pack on pounds for hibernation. Acorns are a primary food source for bears in the fall, and the crop of acorns is particularly large this year. Bear activity has been picking back up in Yosemite Valley the past couple of weeks, with a bear getting into a food storage locker that was not properly latched this week.

Red Bear, Dead Bear: Please help protect wildlife by obeying speed limits and being prepared to stop for animals in roadways. Twenty bears have been hit by vehicles with three confirmed dead.

Fascinating Bear Facts: Fat is the only source of metabolic energy during black bear hibernation. In the fall, bears focus on food with high fat content (such as acorns) over high protein content. Hyperphagia is over-eating in order to build these fat reserves.

Other Wildlife: Mule deer bachelor groups have been very active roadside in developed areas, foraging for oak leaves and acorns causing frequent traffic jams and crowds. Always avoid getting close to wildlife. Deer are particularly unpredictable in the fall with hormonal changes impacting behavior.

Please report bear incidents and sightings: Call the Save-A-Bear Hotline at 209-372-0322 or e-mail yose_bear_mgmt@nps.gov.

Bear Incident Comparisons (year to date—previous years compared to 2024):

Bear Activity Summary: Bears have obtained unattended food from visitors and residents in Yosemite Valley and El Portal on multiple occasions. Tent cabins, picnic areas, and residential houses have all been targets of bears opportunistically finding food not properly stored. In Yosemite Valley, two tagged male bears have been actively seeking human food at picnic areas and tent cabin sites.  As the raspberries dwindle, apples are becoming the main draw for bears in Yosemite Valley. Untagged bears have been observed foraging on apples and leftover raspberries, sometimes in close proximity to people. In El Portal, a female bear continues to approach and find food in and around unsecured residences. Fruiting trees in El Portal are also a current draw for bears to spend time too close to people and homes—please pick your fruit!

In early July, a human-bear encounter resulted in a minor injury to a hiker who inadvertently collided with a bear on Happy Isles Rd. The tagged bear had just obtained garbage from Upper Pines and ran into hiker walking down the road without a light.

Red Bear, Dead Bear: Please help protect wildlife by obeying speed limits and being prepared to stop for animals in roadways. Eleven bears have been hit by vehicles with two confirmed dead. One cub was taken to a wildlife rehabilitation center last week, it is likely the mother was hit by a vehicle.

Fascinating Bear Facts: Bears can travel great distances to return to a known food source. Relocated bears frequently return within days in Yosemite, and in the process of returning, risk encountering vehicles as well as human development. For this reason, YNP usually avoids relocating bears.

Other Wildlife: Summer is here! The Northern Pacific rattlesnake is a venomous species found in Yosemite. These snakes have excellent camouflage and are easy to miss when hiking hot, dusty trails, or scrambling through talus fields. Always check under objects and rocks when sitting to snack, and if you encounter a rattlesnake, give it plenty of room. Do not try to move the animal, it will move off trail on its own if given space.

Please report bear incidents and sightings:

Fewest Incidents (2019) – down by 100%

Bear Activity Summary: Four male bears have been active in Yosemite Valley. Green 23, Yellow 20, and White 42 are GPS collared bears who have been causing bear jams in the Valley due to roadside forage. These bears are primarily grubbing in downed logs and grazing on shoots and grasses. Another untagged large male black-colored bear has been seen along riverbanks in the Valley frequently. Purple 1, a female bear who spends time in El Portal, has been active for over a month both in and out of town. Two other GPS collared females are still in or very near their winter den sites.

As bears emerge from hibernation, they will take advantage of any food they find. Cubs of the year and yearlings are especially vulnerable to learning negative behaviors as they encounter humans and human food sources. It is extremely important to keep unoccupied buildings secured (all windows and doors latched or locked), keep all food stored in bear lockers when camping, keep your vehicles clean of all food, drinks, and other attractants like toiletries or gum, only use bear proof dumpsters and trash cans to throw away your food waste, and keep your backpacks and food with you (within arm’s-reach) while out enjoying the park.

Red Bear, Dead Bear: Please help protect wildlife by obeying speed limits and being prepared to stop for animals in roadways. One yearling female was hit and killed by a car this past week. A gray fox was also hit and killed by a vehicle on the Big Oak Falt road near Foresta.

Fascinating Bear Facts: Bears break logs apart while searching for grubs (larvae of wood-boring beetles). This process not only feeds the bear, but supports the decomposition process and soil re-nutrition cycle.

Other Wildlife: Spring is here! Help protect baby wildlife by leashing pets and by keeping your distance. Please leave baby animals where you see them. Deer leave their fawns to go forage and return to them throughout the day. Fledgling birds may be on the ground under a nest as they learn how to fly. These behaviors are normal, and humans trying to help usually cause more harm than good.

Please report bear incidents and sightings: