You probably didn’t know that up until this summer, the Book Cliffs was home to a famous Utahn. At 31-years-old, Xina(Zena) was the oldest black bear ever documented in the state of Utah and when she was found in her den passed away from natural causes in June, there were many in the wildlife research community and beyond saddened to hear of the loss. BYU Professor Hal Black, who has spent decades studying bears in the Book Cliffs, first caught and collared Xina in the early 1990s and, along with other researchers, gathered new and valuable information from her as one of the longest researched black bears on record. “Xina was a very interesting bear to follow throughout her life,” shares DWR wildlife biologist Clint Sampson. “All the years that we studied her I think there was only one or two times she re-used her den. She was always finding new areas to spend winter in.” Sampson says Xina was also fascinating to watch as a mother of multiple litters of cubs. Like most of us, she got better at parenting the older she got. It’s believed she outlived most her cubs as the average lifespan of a black bear is closer to 10 years. “Xina provided us with great information as far as black bear’s home range, how far they travel, where they den, what they eat, and other unique details,” says Sampson. “Anytime you have multiple years worth of data on any animal, it is really invaluable what you can learn about behavior and reproduction.” It’s likely Xina will hold the title of Utah’s longest living bear for many years to come and regardless, she will always be remembered by those who followed her on her many Book Cliffs adventures.
