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Post by another specialist on Jul 18, 2007 17:40:41 GMT
Generally now regarded as invalid but so much information is available and images exist I thought I would create a thread for itself.
Some still list it as valid.
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Post by another specialist on Jul 18, 2007 17:41:02 GMT
here is an additional note to the California Grizzly (by the way the only extinct species which is on a federal state flag). The Last Know Grizzly Bear in Los Angeles County Whereas Grizzly Bears (and bears in general, for that matter) were once quite common in the region, the last known Grizzly Bear in Southern California was shot and killed on October 26, 1916 by Cornelius B. Johnson in Los Angeles County |
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Post by another specialist on Jul 18, 2007 17:41:29 GMT
Scientific Name: Ursus californicus Date of Extinction: 1911 Last Known Living Bear: "Monarch" Date of California State Flag/Bear Flag Adoption: 1911 Adopted as California State Animal: 1953 Monarch, the last known California Grizzly Bear had some what of an interesting ending. Captured in the Ojai Valley near Ventura in 1889 after William Randolph Hearst sent one of his reporters off to find one. After several days, of hunting, the bear was found, captured and hauled off to San Francisco. Originally, it was supposed to be put on display at Golden Gate Park, but they rejected him, and until 1894 Monarch was held at Woodward's Gardens. When the Midwinter Fair came to San Francisco in 1894, Monarch was at last brought to Golden Gate Park and lowered into a huge concrete pit prepared for him. After a few years, Monarch showed signs of loneliness and it was feared he might die. Again Hearst stepped in and purchased a female silver tip grizzly from Idaho. When the female arrived in 1903, Monarch immediately showed his interest. The female was placed in an adjoining cage and Monarch plowed the ground until he had dug a trench big enough for two bears his size but without attracting any attention from the female, he proceeded to lie down in the hole and gaze longingly though the bars. Eventually (After an attack on a photographer), the two bears were put in the same cage and they romped and played together for over an hour, but finally the female decided Monarch was getting too familiar and she reared up on her hind legs and boxed his ears. Animal courtship being what it is, Monarch finally established a relationship and his descendents can be found at the zoo. When he died in 1911, he was stuffed and placed in the California Academy of Science. He was also the model for the modern state flag. www.everything2.com/index.pl?node=California%20Grizzly%20Bear |
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Post by another specialist on Jul 18, 2007 17:41:54 GMT
Here is a photo of Monarch  Here is a site with great picture material bancroft.berkeley.edu/Exhibits/bearinmind/And another thing: You have probably heard about the tv-series "The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams". This series based on true story of James "Grizzly" Adams, a trapper who has lived around 1850. One day he has rescued a Grizzly cub and he and the Grizzly became lifetime friends. The California Grizzly was once splitted in 7 subspecies but this is considered as invalid today. The Grizzly has extirpated from the following federal states: Oregon, Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Minnesota, Kansas, Oklahoma,Texas, Manitoba (Canada), |
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Post by another specialist on Jul 18, 2007 17:42:33 GMT
The Monarch Bear "Monarch lived for 22 years in captivity during this transition from flesh and fur commercial coup to mythical beast - embodying the heart and soul of Californians." Bear in Mind - The California Grizzly The famous Monarch Bear was captured at Samhain (end of October) by newspaper reporter Allen Kelley. Allen Kelley was given the task of capturing the last wild gizzly bear of California by his famous boss, William Randolph Hearst. He was given a blank check and a large staff to accomplish this task. After six months of searching, Allen Kelley and his crew found the Monarch Bear in the Ojia Valley, Ventura County, near Los Angeles. He was brought to San Francisco on November 3rd, 1889 and was offered to the Menagerie (zoo) at Golden Gate Park. The gift was refused by the park and Hearst placed the Monarch Bear on exhibit at Woodwards Gardens in San Francisco. Opening day, November 10th, 1889, saw over 20,000 people visiting the Monarch Bear at Woodwards Gardens. This opened the Monarch Bear as a star bear which lasted for over 22 years. His stardom included becoming the model for the bear on the state flag of the state of California, his becoming the poster bear for the rejuvenation of San Francisco following the 1906 earthquake, and the totem animal of the state of California. He was the last wild grizzly bear of California. The grizzly bear is the official animal of the state of California. The Monarch Bear's pelt was stuffed soon after his death, in 1911, and he was placed on exhibit in the Academy of Sciences at Golden Gate Park, at that time through December, 2003, when the Academy closed to be torn-down and re-built. He has been visited by millions during this extensive stay, and is well known and beloved of many San Francisco school chrildren. His skeleton was donated to UC Berkeley's museum of Vertebrate zooology at the time of his death, where they remain to this day. The Monarch Bear was euthanized in 1911. He was likely very old at that time. He had been in captivity for over 22 years, and was a fully mature grizzly at the time of his capture. Therefore, he appears as an ancient elder bear. The stuffed pelt of the Monarch Bear which was on display at the Academy of Sciences does not express his magnificence. The Monarch was very unusual as a grizzly bear in that he was black instead of gray. His pelt after almost 100 years of exposure to strong artificial light has faded to a reddish brown from its original black. Better examples of the Monarch Bear's power and magnificence may be obtained from drawings, photographs and paintings that were done during his lifetime. A number of beautiful pictures and drawings, paintings and stories concerning the Monarch Bear can be seen in the new book "Bear in Mind" - The California Grizzly, edited by Susan Snyder, the Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley, 2003. We are just begining the research regarding the Monarch Bear's cubs and his mate. Anyone who is viewing this site and has more information regarding the Monarch Bear, his mate, and the cubs, please contact us! (Click here to send an email). |
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Post by another specialist on Jul 18, 2007 17:42:59 GMT
The bear was Monarch, a California grizzly who became the first animal in the Zoo’s collection and a lasting symbol of the city’s evolving relationship to vanishing wildlife. Monarch’s affiliation with the City began in 1889, when William Randolph Hearst, founder and publisher of the San Francisco Examiner, engaged one of his reporters, Allen Kelly, in a heated debate over whether grizzlies continued to exist in California. Hearst ended the argument with a challenge for Kelly to go out and find one. Photographic proof would not suffice; Kelly would have to bring the animal back alive. After five months in the mountains of Ventura County, Kelly and the Examiner party succeeded in luring an enormous grizzly into a catch pen baited with honey and mutton. A crowd of 20,000 was waiting at the Townsend Street train station to greet the triumphant Kelly and his California grizzly. Monarch lived for 16 years, first in Woodward’s Garden in the Mission District, then in Golden Gate Park. He sired two cubs, and although he never set a paw in the Zoo’s current location, he provided the impetus for Fleishhacker to pursue his dream of a bona fide city zoo. www.shamans-sf.org/monarch/ |
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Post by another specialist on Jul 18, 2007 17:43:40 GMT
monarch stuffed specimen   |
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Post by another specialist on Jul 18, 2007 17:44:10 GMT
Monarch Bear in bear-pit exhibit at the San Francisco mid-winter fair, 1894, in Golden Gate Park *courtesy of the Bancroft Library, UC Berkeley  Picture of Monarch Bear in the bear-pit cage on Monarch Bear Hill, Golden Gate Park, circa 1895.  Picture of Monarch Bear in the bear-pit cage on Monarch Bear Hill, Golden Gate Park, circa 1895.  Picture of Monarch Bear in the bear-pit cage on Monarch Bear Hill, Golden Gate Park, circa 1895.  1905 Bear Pit at Monarch Bear Hill - designed by famous San Francisco architect, William Polk - photo shows the Monarch Bear, his rocky-mountain grizzy bear mate, and their cubs.  The Famous Monarch Bear, living, circa 1900  |
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Post by another specialist on Jul 18, 2007 17:44:35 GMT
Is sad to see that these are the only photographs of living California grizzlies. |
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Post by another specialist on Jul 18, 2007 17:45:00 GMT
Are Ursus arctos nelsoni and Ursus arctos californicus actually still recognised as valid subspecies of the brown bear? Because on www.itis.usda.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=202384 it says: Ursus arctos nelsoni Merriam, 1914 Taxonomic Serial No.: 202384 Taxonomy and Nomenclature Kingdom: Animalia Taxonomic Rank: Subspecies Common Name(s): Valid Name: Ursus arctos arctos Linnaeus, 1758 Taxonomic Status: Current Standing: invalid - junior synonym Data Quality Indicators: Record Credibility Rating: verified - standards met That is a good question. In earlier times they have had other criterias for seperating a species into subspecies than today. The Mexican Silver Grizzly and the California Grizzly have differered especially in size and color of their fur from other grizzlies. But scientists of today are taking especially the DNA analysis as main method of taxonomic classifications. And I think there is not even agreement between scientists as the IUCN Red List sees the Mexican Grizzly as a valid subspecies.  Yes this is a big question what counts as a subspecies as we know the total varies on and off. Bears, wolfs , and the moa are good examples - simply no one agrees how many sub species or species exist and are extinct - start with a very high number and each time it goes down and down. The way it is goes they will say one day only one lol..... The problem is that a couple of centuries ago a naturalist could gain fame by naming a new subspecies. Naturalists were running all over the place trying to name new subspecies. The result of this was that they named a subspecies on very little differences within a species. Nowadays new research, especially DNA research, reveals that many of those so-called subspecies are not distinct from other subspecies within a species. About the moa species, there the problem was that there is a big difference between males and females. Latest (genetic) research showed that there are only 10 species. This number cannot be much lower anymore. Does anyone know a research (article, report) about bear subspecies? |
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Post by another specialist on Jul 18, 2007 17:49:23 GMT
What are the differences between the Californian Grizzly and other Subspecies? That is a good question. In earlier times they have had other criterias for seperating a species into subspecies than today. The Mexican Silver Grizzly and the California Grizzly have differered especially in size and color of their fur from other grizzlies. But scientists of today are taking especially the DNA analysis as main method of taxonomic classifications. I don't know the exact description! But I know most scientists do not recognise this subspecies anymore! |
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Post by another specialist on Jul 18, 2007 17:50:14 GMT
Hello. In the Tv-Doku "Tiere, die es einmal gab" have they show the Californian Grizzly as extinct subspecies of the Brownbear. Furthermore, this was a brilliant Doku, only 5 minutes per episode, but more than 60 episodes with 60 extinct animals an its sad story.  |
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Post by another specialist on Sept 7, 2007 19:21:33 GMT
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Post by another specialist on Nov 19, 2008 10:18:12 GMT
Defend your right to bear flags On this date in 1846, 33 men hoisted a flag in the square of the little town of Sonoma — just on the other side of Sonoma Mountain from here — and proclaimed themselves independent of the Mexican government, which held the local reins of power at the time.  [The original Bear Flag of the California Republic, July 14, 1846] That flag, emblazoned with a lone star, a red stripe, and the silhouette of a grizzly bear (at least, what creator William Todd intended to be a grizzly bear — wags commented that Todd's bear looked more like a pig), marked the dawn of the short-lived California Republic, nicknamed "the Bear Flag Republic." The hardy band of insurgents took as their prisoner General Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo, commandant of the Presidio of Sonoma, and installed one of their own, William B. Ide, as president of the Republic. On June 23, the fledgling state was reinforced by the 60-man California Battalion, under the command of Major John C. Frémont. The following day, Frémont's battalion and the Bear Flag crew routed 50 Mexican troops led by General José Castro at Olompali (in the vicinity of present-day Novato) — the first California battle of the Mexican-American War. On July 9, the Bear Flag in Sonoma was lowered and replaced with the Stars and Stripes, as the republic accepted annexation by the United States. The Bear Flag's general concept lives on today, in the state flag of California. As a Californian for the past 32 years, I'm proud of my adopted home.  [The flag of the great state of California] Even if we do have a bear on our flag. www.swanshadow.com/blogarchive/2008_06_01_blogarchive.html |
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Post by another specialist on Dec 25, 2008 10:50:33 GMT
Just bought a copy of the following book. Will post any new images and info when I receive it.
CALIFORNIA GRIZZLY BY TRACY I. STORER AND LLOYD P. TEVIS
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA PRESS 1955 FIRST EDITION
A comprehensive well written work, still the definitive history of the grizzly extinct in California since the 1920s. A history of the bear in nature and its relations to man.
Chapters include: physical features and habits, bear and bull fights, hunting, some famous captive bears, Grizzly Lore, and Grizzly Adams.
335 Pages plus 38 illustrations.
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Post by another specialist on Dec 31, 2008 21:44:37 GMT
Just bought a copy of the following book. Will post any new images and info when I receive it. CALIFORNIA GRIZZLY BY TRACY I. STORER AND LLOYD P. TEVIS UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA PRESS 1955 FIRST EDITION A comprehensive well written work, still the definitive history of the grizzly extinct in California since the 1920s. A history of the bear in nature and its relations to man. Chapters include: physical features and habits, bear and bull fights, hunting, some famous captive bears, Grizzly Lore, and Grizzly Adams. 335 Pages plus 38 illustrations. Just got my copy Today. Will post some pages and images here. |
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Post by another specialist on Dec 31, 2008 21:47:36 GMT
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Post by another specialist on Dec 31, 2008 21:48:00 GMT
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Post by another specialist on Dec 31, 2008 21:48:18 GMT
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Post by another specialist on Dec 31, 2008 21:48:37 GMT
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