Big Bend National Park, a sprawling, distinctive wilderness in West Texas, is renowned for its diverse landscapes, from vast desert to rugged mountains. This environment is home to a variety of wildlife, including American black bears. Their presence enriches the park’s ecological fabric.
Big Bend’s Bear Population
The bears in Big Bend National Park are American black bears (Ursus americanus), omnivorous mammals that primarily consume vegetative matter, including acorns, piñon nuts, madrone, juniper, sumac berries, sotol hearts, persimmon, and cactus fruits. While largely plant-based, their diet also includes insects, carrion, and occasionally deer and javelina. Adult black bears in Big Bend weigh between 200 and 400 pounds and stand five to six feet tall. They are not true hibernators due to the area’s mild climate and consistent food availability. The park’s current black bear population is estimated at 30 to 40 individuals, though numbers fluctuate based on food availability and environmental conditions.
The Bears’ Comeback Story
Black bears were common in the Chisos Mountains of Big Bend National Park in the early 1900s. However, by the time the park was established in 1944, they had been extirpated, or locally extinct, from the area and the rest of West Texas. This decline was due to unregulated hunting, trapping by ranchers, federal predator control efforts, and habitat loss. For decades, only scattered sightings of individual bears, likely from Mexico, were reported.
In the late 1980s, a female black bear, likely from Mexico’s Sierra del Carmen mountains, reached the Chisos Mountains. In 1988, a park visitor photographed a female with three young cubs in the Chisos Mountains, providing clear evidence of a resident breeding population. This natural recolonization, unaided by human reintroduction efforts, was a success for wildlife in the park. The park’s protected status and habitat recovery facilitated their return.
Understanding Bear Habitats
Within Big Bend National Park, black bears are most frequently encountered in the higher elevations of the Chisos Mountains. This mountain range offers cooler temperatures, abundant water sources, and denser vegetation, providing shelter and a consistent food supply. Diverse plant life, including berry and nut-producing species, creates an ideal environment for bears.
While the Chisos Mountains serve as their primary home range, bears are also observed in forested areas and riparian zones along rivers and streams. Some male and non-breeding female bears may venture into lower desert areas year-round, particularly if they find water sources in arroyos, around desert springs, or along the Rio Grande. Food and water availability dictates their movement patterns across the park’s varied terrain.
Coexisting Safely with Bears
Encountering a black bear in Big Bend National Park requires visitors to ensure their safety and the bears’ well-being. Feeding any wildlife is against park regulations. Allowing bears access to human food or trash can lead to them becoming dependent and potentially aggressive. This often leads to the saying, “a fed bear is a dead bear,” as bears conditioned to human food may need to be removed or euthanized for public safety. All food, trash, and scented items must be stored in bear-resistant containers or secured inside vehicles.
When hiking, making noise helps avoid surprising a bear, especially in dense vegetation. Hiking in groups offers added safety. If a bear is sighted, remain calm and maintain at least 100 yards (300 feet) distance. Do not approach the bear. If your presence causes the bear to change its behavior, you are too close.
If a bear approaches you, do not run; instead, stand your ground, appear as large as possible, and make noise by shouting. You can also throw non-food objects like rocks or sticks to deter it. Slowly back away while continuing to face the bear. If a bear persistently follows you without vocalizing or paw swatting, change your direction. Should the bear continue to follow, stand firm and act aggressively to intimidate it.
In the rare event of a physical attack, if the bear seems to be after your food, separate yourself from the food and slowly back away. If the bear shows no interest in your food and the attack seems predatory, fight back aggressively with any available object; do not play dead. Park visitors should report all bear sightings to park rangers to help monitor the population and ensure ongoing safety. No visitor has ever been attacked or hurt by a black bear in Big Bend National Park.