Black bears are slowly returning to Texas after near disappearance—and that’s something to celebrate. One was recently captured in Midland County and, according to officials, safely relocated.

But as sightings increase, Texas needs more than good intentions. We need a clear, humane approach to managing these protected animals.

We’re calling on Texas Parks and Wildlife to commit to a relocation-first policy for healthy black bears and to publicly explain how decisions are made when human-bear encounters happen. Texans deserve to know when and why a bear might be relocated, hazed, or in rare cases, euthanized.

These animals are part of Texas’s natural heritage and, according to experts, typically want nothing to do with people. But public safety matters, too—and that’s why the state must set clear guidelines, educate the public, and act with transparency.

Sign this petition if you believe Texas should protect black bears with science, not fear—and make humane wildlife management the standard across the state.