But rather than requiring that the Yellowstone population of bears establish connectivity with other grizzlies to the north, the Service is content to rely on physically transporting bears (e.g., in trucks) between regions if needed to avoid genetic problems – a proposal that is completely at odds with a “fully recovered” population. Today, about 1,500 grizzly bears remain in a number of isolated populations in the lower 48 states, with the animals more abundant in Alaska.
Advertisement
Despite this, today’s proposal to remove federal Endangered Species Act protections would allow the states to begin regulated hunts on grizzly bears outside Yellowstone National Park, virtually guaranteeing that the population will never increase again.
A final decision on the Yellowstone grizzly’s fate is expected by year’s end, Hogan said.
The federal government is proposing to lift threatened-species protections for Yellowstone-area grizzlies.
To ensure robust monitoring of Yellowstone grizzly bears, balanced management and effective conservation going forward, the Service is also releasing two other documents for public comment, a draft supplement to the 1993 Grizzly Bear Recovery Plan for the Yellowstone grizzly bear population, and a draft conservation strategy. These detail how both grizzly bears and their habitat will be managed in a post-delisting environment.
“Even with this proposed delisting, the service remains committed to the conservation of the Yellowstone grizzly bear, and will stay engaged to ensure that this incredible species remains recovered”.
State officials have been pressuring the federal government to lift protections. “We are look forward to hearing from the public about the proposal and consulting with Native American tribes”. A decision is due within a year.
The Tribes retain a seat on the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee (Yellowstone Ecosystem Subcommittee), and the declaration is explicit in withdrawing any perceived support for delisting the grizzly bear that has previously been presented by the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee (IGBC). Grizzly bears are recovered and have been for more than a decade.
“This is one of the greatest conservation success stories, and it needs to continue into the future”, said Chris Cooligan, wildlife program coordinator for the coalition.
Idaho officials also praised the administration’s move.
U.S. Senators Mike Enzi and John Barrasso and U.S. Representative Cynthia Lummis, all R-Wyo., issued these statements as well.
Hunters and ranchers, who make up a powerful political constituency in Western states, have strongly advocated de-listing grizzlies, arguing that their increasing numbers pose a threat to humans, livestock and big-game animals such as elk.
About 700 to 10,000 of the bears now live in the Yellowstone region of Montana, Wyoming and Idaho. This is no way to manage wildlife. This conclusion, however, fails to fully account for the costs involved in switching food sources – particularly if the bears switch, as the research indicates they will, to more meat, which will inevitably result in more conflicts with people, which means more dead grizzly bears.
“After repeatedly moving the goal posts for years, the Obama administration is finally moving in the right direction on grizzly bears”, said Barrasso. One of the things we hear is that once the bears have been delisted, the states will just start indiscriminately over-hunting bears, and nothing could be further from the truth.
“I think what we have here is a tremendous success, and the Endangered Species Act has done its job”, Fish and Wildlife Service Director Dan Ashe said in a press conference, adding that grizzly bears have doubled their range since they were added to the Endangered Species Act in 1975.
The bear’s territory in the Yellowstone Ecosystem is now larger than the total areas of New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Rhode Island combined, officials said.
Advertisement
Federal and state officials said limits on how many bears can be killed will safeguard against a collapse in the bear population.
