CHUMASH AND THE BLACK BEAR

What is clear from paleontological remains and archaeological excavations is that prior to the event of the Anglo-American period of settlement the black bear did not extend further south in California than San Luis Obispo County and the Central Valley. As grizzly bear numbers dwindled, primarily as a result of poisoning and only secondarily by shooting them, the range of the black bear extended southerly and into the high country. Certainly grizzly bears were masters of their domains and were given wide berths by black bears.

Pedro Fages’ account of his travels in California, which represent the first detailed descriptions of California Indians, includes two interesting observations about the Chumash in the San Luis Obispo area. He describes one occasion when Indians coming to greet him and his party were accompanied by a bear cub. Elsewhere he indicates that the Indians hunted bears and would capture any surviving (I presume young) cubs, subsequently raising them in their villages until they were old enough to slaughter as food. Young bear cubs are fun, cute and cuddly and bond easily with humans. As they grow older, their presence becomes more problematic. Since the reference is to hunting bears, I presume that their quarry was the black bear – grizzly bears being too formidable a prey.

                                                                                                            Mike Kuhn

6-24-05