What animal is on the state flag of California?

A bear is on the state flag of California.

More specifically, the flag displays a California grizzly bear walking across a white field. The bear is accompanied by a red star in the upper-left corner and a red stripe along the bottom, which is why the flag is commonly called the Bear Flag.

The design traces its history to the Bear Flag Revolt of 1846, when American settlers in California raised an early version of the symbol during their short-lived rebellion against Mexican authority. California officially adopted a state flag in 1911, although the final standardized design and colors were established later, in 1953.

The animal is not merely decorative: the California grizzly bear is also California’s official state animal. The California grizzly itself is extinct, but it remains a powerful symbol in the state’s flag, seal, historical imagery, and public identity. “Grizzly bear” is more precise, but “bear” is the fair canonical quiz answer.