Which bears are native to New York?

• A. Brown bears
• B. Polar bears
• C. Grizzly bears
• D. Black bears

Answer: (D)

In New York, the bear species that occurs in the wild today is the black bear. Native means that a species has established populations in the state without being introduced by humans, and black bears have done just that across much of New York’s forests—from the Adirondacks and Catskills to other wooded regions. They are versatile omnivores that adapt well to a range of habitats, making them the common bear species you’d expect to encounter in the state.

Polar bears are native to Arctic regions and rely on sea ice for hunting; their range is far north of New York, so they are not native here. Brown bears, including what many call grizzly bears, historically ranged across parts of North America but not in New York today; their traditional ranges are in western North America and parts of Canada, with eastern populations having disappeared long ago. Thus, black bears are the native bear present in New York.