Who's the Bear on California's Flag?; A Garden Growing Community in West Sacramento
Published: May 15, 2026
Duration: 30:16
The Story Behind the Bear on the California Flag is Bigger Than One Legend
The grizzly bear on California’s state flag makes it distinctive and recognizable. Many people believe the bear is Monarch, one of the last California grizzlies. Captured in the mountains in 1889, he was held in captivity and displayed to the public for the last 22 years of his life. The KQED podcast Bay Curious wanted to find out if it really was Monarch on the flag, and to sort through some of the other legends around the bear. They sent reporter Katherine Monahan to fi...