The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service took steps on Friday toward ending federal protections for grizzly bears in the northern Rocky Mountains. This move could lead to the hunting of the species in Montana, Wyoming, and Idaho.
Federal officials said they have been petitioned numerous times to delist the grizzlies and have received “substantial information” showing the bear population has “improved” and the “threats” have been reduced, which may mean that they may no longer meet the definition of a threatened species under the act.
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The department plans to begin a comprehensive Endangered Species Act status review of the grizzly bear in the Yellowstone and Glacier national parks.
The petitioning states want the federal protections lifted so they can regain population management of grizzly bears and include the ability for the public to hunt the bears. When Wyoming and Idaho applied for grizzly bear hunting licenses, their hunts were blocked when a court sided with environmental groups.
In 1975, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service listed four distinct populations of grizzly bears in the lower 48 states as “threatened” under the authority of the Endangered Species Act.
The expanding grizzly population has led to more bears moving into areas occupied by people. One recent grizzly bear attack happened last March when a Montana hiker was killed outside of Yellowstone National Park, and last October, two Wyoming college wrestlers were mauled in a gruesome attack.
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Animal rights activists maintain a possible delisting is too soon.
“Delisting grizzly bears in the Northern Rockies is premature,” said Jamie Rappaport Clark, president and CEO of Defenders of Wildlife. “Equally concerning, delisting would condemn these vitally important animals to the whim of current state politics in Montana, Wyoming, and Idaho where they are openly hostile to predator species like grizzly bears.”
