Mississippi’s black bear population is on the rise, according to the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks. The department shared a timeline showing the bears’ recovery over the past century.
In 1932, there were fewer than 12 bears. By 1984, estimates increased to about 25. In 2002, the population was still less than 50. By 2012, the numbers had grown to more than 150, officials said.
Updated figures for 2026 are expected soon, the department added. Since early population estimates in the 1900s, Mississippi’s black bear population has shifted from near extinction to a success story, officials said.
