The bears are back 

Lately there is good news from bear country: in some places, including Sugarloaf Ridge State Park, where this photo was taken by a wildlife camera, and other Sonoma Valley open spaces, black bears are slowly but surely moving into old (and new) habitats.

Watch the video.

Responding to the encouraging influx, Sonoma Ecology Center, in collaboration with several partners and led by wildlife tracker and ecologist Meghan Walla-Murphy, has launched the North Bay Bear Collaborative.

The group will gather data to answer questions about the bears’ status and behavior – where are they and in what numbers, where are they going, and what areas do they use and need. Another element is a “Bear Aware” campaign, to help keep bears and people safe, and the bears wild.