Victory as Yellowstone's Grizzly Bears Are to Remain Federally Protected!

Grizzly bear

Grizzly bears living within the vicinity of Yellowstone National Park have long been subject of debate as to whether to keep them as endangered species or delisting them. Two years ago, a federal judge proclaimed that the bears be kept under federal protection and off-limits to state hunts. Now, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in support of the judge's decision. The ruling came from Portland, Oregon, where the Ninth Circuit obtained plaintiffs' arguments and U.S District Court Judge Dana Christensen's declaration that the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service failed in planning to safeguard the genetic health of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem's grizzly population. Appeals judges also favored the district court's determination on "recalibration," i.e., changing to a different method to count grizzlies, which could have bolstered the number of bears that states aimed at during hunts. The decision has been cheered by a host of advocacy groups, Native American tribes, and other individuals who participated in the lawsuit. They included the Crow Indian Tribe and the Piikani Nation. Advocacy groups included the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), Alliance for the Wild Rockies, National Parks Conservation Association, and WildEarth Guardians. Andrea Zaccardi, a senior attorney of the Center of Biological Diversity, maintained that the court's decision confirms that the Fish and Wildlife Service had tried too early to remove protections of grizzly bears. She also hopes that the agency will concentrate on fully reviving the bears and not stripping them of required protections.

View of the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone

I'm also very happy that the appeals court has ruled in favor of the protection of Yellowstone's grizzly bears. These majestic animals currently number about 700 animals in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, where they are carefully observed and populations estimated annually. An immense number of bears lives on the peripheries of the region, and their populated range has spread regularly over the years. They have not joined with grizzly bears from the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem, so Yellowstone's grizzlies continue to establish a remote, island population. Wyoming, which had planned to hunt its peripheral grizzlies, joined the lawsuit as an intervener. The state disagreed with the Fish and Wildlife Service over what to dispute, and unsuccessfully tried to appeal concerns that federal wildlife officials were not disputing. I think to properly manage Yellowstone's grizzly bear population would be to consult with experts and organizations of experts such as the Center for Biological Diversity. These people have the knowledge and expertise in understanding the condition of bear populations, which would help in determining whether to delist them as endangered species or not. But right now, Yellowstone's grizzly bears are to be kept under federal protection.

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