The Conservation Strategy that describes management of the grizzly bear following delisting was finalized by the Yellowstone Ecosystem Subcommittee of the IGBC in December of 2016.
The three states that will take over jurisdiction of Yellowstone-area bears once federal protections are lifted this summer have submitted management plans that allow for limited hunting.
"The number of grizzly bears have long since reached recovery goals in the area and by taking this action we feel it will provide the management flexibility that can help ranchers in the area better cope with the impacts of these large carnivores", said Ken Hamilton, WyFB executive vice president.
This decision by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) was informed by over four decades of intensive, independent scientific efforts.
"The Endangered Species Act protections kept Yellowstone's grizzlies from extinction, but this iconic symbol of America's Wild West is still at risk", said Sylvia Fallon, a scientist at the Natural Resources Defense Council. As I said, we tried to delist in 2007.
Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke said Thursday that the recovery of Yellowstone's grizzlies is one of the nation's great conservation success stories. Grizzly bear populations outside of this DPS in the lower 48 states will be treated separately under the ESA and will continue to be protected.
Wildlife officials in Montana, Idaho and Wyoming have been managing the bear population alongside federal government officials for decades.
Dem loss in Georgia underscores party challenges
This points out the problem Democrats have that will continue to cause them to lose elections across the nation. Republicans in Congress who are not inclined to hold the president's feet to the fire should get booted out.
In announcing the controversial decision, Zinke said long-term efforts to protect the grizzly have allowed it to thrive and grow. The 15 months that have passed since then have been used to by federal officials to evaluate states' grizzly management plans and respond to themes of concern generated by 650,000 comments from the public, including wildlife advocates and Native American tribal officials who are staunchly opposed to hunting grizzly bears.
About 125 tribes have signed a treaty opposing trophy hunting grizzly bears, which Native Americans consider a sacred animal.
US government officials say grizzly bears in Yellowstone National Park region are no longer threatened, and that they will lift protections that have been in place for more than 40 years. "However, we are concerned over how grizzly bears and their habitat will be managed after de-listing".
"We can not allow the decades of work and investment to save these bears go down the drain", she said.
"They found grizzly bears are extremely resilient, extremely flexible and adaptable", Hogan said.
Andrea Santarsiere, a senior attorney with the Center for Biological Diversity, called the decision "tragic". "Grizzly conservation has made significant strides, but the work to restore these lovely bears has a long way to go".
Comments