Which bear appears on the state flag of California?

The California grizzly bear appears on the state flag of California.

The flag’s bear represents the California grizzly, a now-extinct population of North American brown bears that once lived throughout much of California. The animal became an emblem of strength and independence during the state’s early history, even though no wild California grizzlies survive today.

The bear first appeared on California’s flag during the Bear Flag Revolt of 1846, when American settlers rebelled against Mexican rule in Sonoma. The modern flag, adopted in 1911, retains the bear, a red star, a white field, and a red stripe. The displayed bear is commonly identified as “Monarch,” a famous grizzly captured in the 1880s.

This is not a polar, sun, or Kodiak bear. Kodiak bears are a geographically distinct population of brown bears from Alaska, while the California grizzly was the regional bear associated with the state’s history and symbolism. California officially designated the grizzly as its state animal in 1953.