Are bears endangered?
Most bears are in trouble in parts of their range. The American black bear was stable or increasing in 33 of 35 states surveyed in 1993. The remaining 6 bear species appear to be in decline over most or all of their range. Human activities are affecting bear habitat for all species-especially those in tropic regions-through commercial and residential development, agriculture, timber harvesting, and oil and gas exploration and development. Direct human threats to bears include the killing of bears through unregulated hunting, protection of property, vandalism, or through commercial exploitation for folk medicine or the pet trade. The U.S.
