California was once home to about 10,000 grizzly bears, a significant symbol in both indigenous culture and early settler history, yet by the 1920s, they had vanished from the state. Recent research led by environmental historian Peter Alagona indicates that the return of these iconic animals might be possible. With ecological benefits such as controlling herbivore populations and enhancing soil health, California has the potential to host over 1,000 grizzlies again. The study challenges long-held beliefs about their extinction being irreversible and encourages discussion on their reintroduction.
The extinction of grizzlies in California had not been inevitable by any means, and their recovery is probably not impossible either, he says, even though that's the story people have been kind of telling for 100 years.
Returning them to the state could offer numerous benefits, proponents say, including keeping herbivore populations in check, dispersing seeds, aerating the soil with their digging and cycling nutrients, which contributes to ecological diversity and health.
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