This is a list of human deaths caused by bear attacks in North America by decade in reverse chronological order. These fatalities have been documented through news media, reports, cause-of-death statistics, scientific papers, or other sources. For general information on the topic, see bear attack. Fatal bear attacks in North America have occurred in a variety of settings. There have been several in wilderness habitats of bears involving hikers, hunters, and campers. Brown bear (including the subspecies grizzly bear) incidents have occurred in its native range spanning Alaska, Northern Canada, and Western Canada, and portions of the Rocky Mountains in the United States. The locations of black bear wilderness fatal attacks reflect its wider range. Bears held captive by animal trainers, in zoos or carnivals, or kept as pets, have been responsible for several attacks. There have also been unusual cases in which a person entered a bear's cage and was then mauled. Bear attacks are rare in North America. Attacks are for predatory, territorial, or protective reasons. Most wilderness attacks have occurred when there were only one or two people in the vicinity. In this list, three species of bears are recognized: the black bear (Ursus americanus), the brown bear (Ursus arctos), and the polar bear (Ursus maritimus).

2020s

Black bear

Brown bear

Polar bear

2010s

Black bear

Brown bear

Polar bear

2000s

Black bear

Brown bear

1990s

Black bear

Brown bear

Polar bear

1980s

Black bear

Brown bear

Polar bear

1970s

Black bear

Brown bear

Polar bear

1960s

Black bear

Brown bear

Polar bear

1950s

Black bear

Brown bear

1940s

Black bear

Brown bear

1930s

Black bear

Brown bear

1920s

Black bear

Brown bear

1910s

Brown bear

1900s

Black bear

1890s

Brown bear

1880s

Black bear

Grizzly bear

1870s

Brown bear

1860s

Brown bear

1850s

Brown bear

1830s

Brown bear

1780s

Black bear

Maps