Photo courtesy of the United States Forest Service |
Black bears (Ursus americanus) are a part of the natural heritage of Texas and were historically widely distributed throughout all major eco-regions in Texas prior to Anglo-American colonization in 1820. Sadly, by the 1950’s, the last native East Texas bear was believed to have been killed in Polk County. Today, black bears are returning to their historic range in Texas. Since 1977, The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has documented black bear sightings and mortalities in Texas. Observations in the 1990’s indicate the return of a few black bears to the remote forests of East Texas, primarily composed of transient, solitary males. Black bears, Ursus americanus, are listed as threatened by the state of Texas and the Louisiana black bear, Ursus americanus luteolus, formerly resident in eastern Texas, is federally listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. There is no current evidence of a breeding population of black bears in East Texas; however increased sightings combined with bear recovery and range expansion in bordering states and will increase bear occurrence and activity in Texas in the next 10 years.
Black Bears in East Texas
It is recognized that historically two sub-species of black bear inhabited Texas. The American black bear (Ursus americanus americanus) occurred throughout most of west and central Texas, and the Louisiana black bear (Ursus americanus luteolus) ranged throughout East Texas. Currently, the status of the Louisiana black bear in East Texas is unknown; however, with bear sightings on the rise, their interactions with the public are expected to increase in the future. With this in mind, a committee of stakeholders comprised of representatives from state, federal, and private entities collaborated to develop the East Texas Black Bear Conservation and Management Plan and form a coalition group called the East Texas Black Bear Task Force.
This plan was produced in the spirit of conservation for the purpose of re-establishing the bear as a viable part of the native wildlife community of East Texas. Several goals to be accomplished within the next 10 years were identified and include increased public coordination and communication, habitat management, research activities, and development and distribution of informational materials. Specific strategies addressed in this plan strive to promote public awareness through outreach while providing public and private biologists and willing landowners with the technical knowledge to increase and/or enhance suitable black bear habitat throughout East Texas.
Research activities are directed at evaluating habitat availability and distribution, encouraging habitat restoration and management, and determining the survivability and reproductive capacity of black bears should they be introduced in East Texas. This planning endeavor was built upon a sound foundation of partnerships involving private landowners, private corporations, state and federal agencies, and interested conservation groups. The success of this plan will ultimately depend upon the strengths of these partnerships and the public and political support required to restore a federally threatened sub-species of black bear to the forests of East Texas.