American Black Bear

Q: What are the chances of seeing an American Black Bear in Washington?

Rare. Under 5% of wildlife watchers report an American Black Bear sighting in Washington on a given day, based on 8 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 23rd most-seen of the 24 mammals we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, and over a week to about 20%, if each day is a fresh chance.

Q: When is the best time to see an American Black Bear in Washington?

Any time of year. In every month with enough records, under 5% of wildlife watchers report an American Black Bear in Washington on a given day, so our monthly data shows no clear season.

Q: What time of day is best to see an American Black Bear?

Between 1 and 4 pm. Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most American Black Bear sightings with a recorded time, and about 7 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is seen both by day and at night.

Q: Is Washington the best place to see an American Black Bear?

7th of 7. Of the 7 cities where we can rate American Black Bear sightings, Washington ranks 7th at under 5%. The best odds are in Anchorage (United States, about 20%), Vancouver (Canada, about 20%) and Orlando (United States, about 10%).

Q: Which relatives of the American Black Bear live in Washington?

Same order: Carnivora. The closest relatives of the American Black Bear that you can see in Washington (order Carnivora, Carnivorans) are Red Fox (about 30%), Common Raccoon (about 20%) and Coyote (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.

Q: Where does the American Black Bear sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records. It is estimated from how often the American Black Bear is recorded against all the mammals logged in Washington (8 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.

Ursus americanus

Silhouette: Tracy A. Heath · PhyloPic

LCLeast ConcernNTVUENCR

KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
PhylumChordata (Chordates)
ClassMammalia (Mammals)
OrderCarnivora (Carnivorans)
FamilyUrsidae (Bears)
GenusUrsus (Holarctic Bears)
SpeciesUrsus americanus (American Black Bear)

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

at Washington

In 3 days ~10% in a week ~20%

8 Verified sightings at Washington

8,596 In all 31 parks From 2019 to 2026

June Best month

☀️🌙 Day & Night When it's spotted

Challenge Brown and Black Bears North AmericaEasy

Challenge North Woods North AmericaMedium

About the American Black Bear

The American black bear (Ursus americanus), or simply black bear, is a species of medium-sized bear which is endemic to North America. It is the continent's smallest and most widely distributed bear species. It is an omnivore, with a diet varying greatly depending on season and location. It primarily inhabits forested regions, but may venture beyond forest boundaries in search of food. Individuals are occasionally drawn to human settlements due to the availability of easily accessible food sources.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) lists the American black bear as a least-concern species because of its widespread distribution and a large population, estimated to be twice that of all other bear species combined. Along with the brown bear (Ursus arctos), it is one of the two modern bear species not considered by the IUCN to be globally threatened with extinction.

The American black bear is not closely related to the brown bear or polar bear, though all three species are found in North America; genetic studies reveal that they split from a common ancestor 5.05 million years ago (mya). American and Asian black bears are considered sister taxa and are... Wikipedia →

Sounds

Recording0:08

United States · 2025

Recording0:15

2026

Recording0:19

United States · 2026

Global Distribution

Where it is recorded most Known range (Mammal Diversity Database, Marsh et al. 2022)Our parks where it lives Our cities where it livesIn captivity: 161 zoos & centres

Parks Where Found

#	Park	Country	Daily sighting probability
1	Great Smoky Mountains National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~80%
2	Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks	🇺🇸 United States	~80%
3	Wood Buffalo National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	~80%
4	Yellowstone National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~70%
5	Jasper National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	~60%
6	Pacific Rim National Park Reserve	🇨🇦 Canada	~60%
7	Grand Teton National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~60%
8	Nahanni National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	~60%
9	Riding Mountain National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	~60%
10	Glacier National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~50%
11	Yosemite National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~50%
12	Kenai Fjords National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~50%
13	Banff National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	~50%
14	Great Bear Rainforest	🇨🇦 Canada	~40%
15	Big Bend National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~40%
16	Redwood National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~40%
17	Kluane National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	~40%
18	Cape Breton Highlands National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	~40%
19	Shenandoah National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~40%
20	Elk Island National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	~40%
21	Big Cypress National Preserve	🇺🇸 United States	~30%
22	Olympic National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~30%
23	Wrangell-St. Elias National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~30%
24	Cumbres de Monterrey National Park	🇲🇽 Mexico	~30%
25	Gros Morne National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	~20%
26	Rocky Mountain National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~20%
27	Denali National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~10%
28	Everglades National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~10%
29	Zion National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~10%
30	Saguaro National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~10%
31	Acadia National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~10%

Cities Where Found

#	City	Country	Daily sighting probability
1	Anchorage	🇺🇸 United States	~20%
2	Vancouver	🇨🇦 Canada	~20%
3	Orlando	🇺🇸 United States	~10%
4	Denver	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
5	Los Angeles	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
6	Seattle	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
7	Washington	🇺🇸 United States	<5%

Zoos & Centres Where Found

#	Zoo / Centre	Country
1	San Diego Zoo	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
2	Six Flags Great Adventure	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
3	Pairi Daiza	🇧🇪 Belgium	In captivity
4	National Zoological Park	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
5	Denver Zoo	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
6	Tierpark Berlin	🇩🇪 Germany	In captivity
7	California Academy of Sciences	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
8	North Carolina Zoo	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
9	Tulsa Zoo	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
10	Olomouc Zoo	🇨🇿 Czechia	In captivity
11	Ecomuseum Zoo	🇨🇦 Canada	In captivity
12	Parc Omega	🇨🇦 Canada	In captivity
13	Wildlife Prairie Park East Side	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
14	Northwest Trek Wildlife Park	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
15	Zoo Sauvage de St-Félicien	🇨🇦 Canada	In captivity
16	Zoo sauvage Saint-Félicien	🇨🇦 Canada	In captivity
17	Zoo Miami	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
18	The Wild Animal Sanctuary	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
19	Minnesota Zoo	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
20	Taipei Zoo	🇹🇼 Taiwan	In captivity
21	Domaine des Grottes de Han	🇧🇪 Belgium	In captivity
22	Woburn Safari Park	🇬🇧 United Kingdom	In captivity
23	Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
24	Lee G. Simmons Wildlife Safari Park	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
25	Columbus Zoo and Aquarium	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
26	Oswald's Bear Ranch	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
27	Parc animalier de Sainte-Croix	🇫🇷 France	In captivity
28	Squam Lakes Natural Science Center	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
29	Planète Sauvage	🇫🇷 France	In captivity
30	Safari de Peaugres	🇫🇷 France	In captivity
31	Ecological Center of Sonora	🇲🇽 Mexico	In captivity
32	Sedgwick County Zoo	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
33	Safari World	🇹🇭 Thailand	In captivity
34	Ree Park – Ebeltoft Safari	🇩🇰 Denmark	In captivity
35	Shubenacadie Wildlife Park	🇨🇦 Canada	In captivity
36	Cheyenne Mountain Zoo	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
37	Wild Animal Safari	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
38	Bearizona	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
39	Fuji Safari Park	🇯🇵 Japan	In captivity
40	Oakland Zoo	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
41	Wildlife West Nature Park	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
42	Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
43	Cape May County Park & Zoo	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
44	Greater Vancouver Zoo	🇨🇦 Canada	In captivity
45	Réserve africaine de Thoiry	🇫🇷 France	In captivity
46	Wildlife World Zoo	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
47	Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
48	Central Florida Zoo and Botanical Gardens	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
49	Birmingham Zoo	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
50	Africam Safari	🇲🇽 Mexico	In captivity

Show all 50 Show fewer

Closest Relatives at Washington

Vulpes vulpes

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible

Procyon lotor

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible

Canis latrans

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Lontra canadensis

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Mephitis mephitis

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Sciurus carolinensis

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely

Odocoileus virginianus

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely

Sylvilagus floridanus

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely

Tamias striatus

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible

Castor canadensis

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible

Marmota monax

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Ondatra zibethicus

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

See all 12 relatives Show fewer

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing an American Black Bear in Washington?

Rare

Under 5% of wildlife watchers report an American Black Bear sighting in Washington on a given day, based on 8 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 23rd most-seen of the 24 mammals we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, and over a week to about 20%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see an American Black Bear in Washington?

Any time of year

In every month with enough records, under 5% of wildlife watchers report an American Black Bear in Washington on a given day, so our monthly data shows no clear season.

What time of day is best to see an American Black Bear?

Between 1 and 4 pm

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most American Black Bear sightings with a recorded time, and about 7 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is seen both by day and at night.

Is Washington the best place to see an American Black Bear?

7th of 7

Of the 7 cities where we can rate American Black Bear sightings, Washington ranks 7th at under 5%. The best odds are in Anchorage (United States, about 20%), Vancouver (Canada, about 20%) and Orlando (United States, about 10%).

Which relatives of the American Black Bear live in Washington?

Same order: Carnivora

The closest relatives of the American Black Bear that you can see in Washington (order Carnivora, Carnivorans) are Red Fox (about 30%), Common Raccoon (about 20%) and Coyote (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.

Where does the American Black Bear sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the American Black Bear is recorded against all the mammals logged in Washington (8 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.

← Back to Washington

American Black Bear

About the American Black Bear

Sounds

Recent sightings of American Black Bear in Washington

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

Cities Where Found

Zoos & Centres Where Found

Closest Relatives at Washington

Red Fox

Common Raccoon

Coyote

Northern River Otter

Striped Skunk

Eastern Gray Squirrel

White-tailed Deer

Eastern Cottontail

Eastern Chipmunk

American Beaver

Woodchuck

Muskrat

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing an American Black Bear in Washington?

When is the best time to see an American Black Bear in Washington?

What time of day is best to see an American Black Bear?

Is Washington the best place to see an American Black Bear?

Which relatives of the American Black Bear live in Washington?

Where does the American Black Bear sighting chance come from?