Grizzly bears to remain protected, for now
Laura Lundquist
(Missoula Current) The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is proposing to keep federal protections for grizzly bears in the lower 48 states, but it would change the rule that limits whether grizzly bears can be killed or hazed for management purposes.
On Wednesday, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced a new approach for recovering grizzly bears. Instead of having separate populations in the six recovery areas spread throughout Montana, Wyoming, Idaho and Washington, the agency would treat all the bears as one distinct population segment. The agency would also clarify the geographic area within the lower 48 states where grizzlies are protected. The public is being asked to comment on the proposed rule.
This would mean individual populations could not be delisted while others remain protected. It would also protect the grizzlies that attempt to move between populations.
“The Service also recognizes that recovery of small and extirpated populations relies on contributions from highly resilient populations. Maintaining all recovery zones together in one (distinct population segment) will increase the speed of recovery in remaining ecosystems and the overall viability of grizzly bears, increasing the likelihood of successfully delisting the entire (distinct population segment) by addressing the species’ recovery needs as a whole,” according to the Fish and Wildlife Service release.
The states of Montana and Wyoming filed separate petitions to the Fish and Wildlife Service to delist separate populations of grizzlies in the Northern Continental Divide and Greater Yellowstone ecosystems, while the state of Idaho filed to delist all bears. The Fish and Wildlife Service was required to respond to the Wyoming petition by Jan. 20 with a decision.
“After a thorough review of the best scientific and commercial data available, the Service found grizzly bear populations in those two ecosystems do not, on their own, represent valid (distinct population segments),” according to the Fish and Wildlife Service release.
While grizzly bears would remain protected, the Fish and Wildlife Service acknowledged that landowners and livestock producers may have to deal with grizzlies that become too habituated to feeding on livestock and human attractants. So the agency proposed changes to the 4(d) rule of the Endangered Species Act that would allow more flexibility to wildlife management agencies that have to manage the bears.
“The proposed 4(d) rule recognizes the need for added flexibility and responsiveness on private lands and areas where grizzly bear populations are impacting private landowners and livestock producers while continuing efforts to promote conservation in areas crucial to the eventual delisting of grizzly bears in the lower 48 (states) as a whole,” the release said.
Knowing the grizzly bear decision was due out soon, wildlife advocates were primed to respond. For many, the decision was better than they had hoped, especially after the U.S. Forest Service retracted its old-growth amendment yesterday under pressure from Republican politicians.
“I’m relieved that the Fish and Wildlife Service found that grizzly bears still need Endangered Species Act safeguards,” said Andrea Zaccardi, Center for Biological Diversity carnivore conservation program legal director. “With ongoing federal protections, grizzlies in the Northern Rocky Mountains and North Cascades will have a real chance at long-term recovery, instead of being gunned down and mounted on trophy walls.”
Defenders of Wildlife said it was too soon to delist the Northern Continental Divide and Greater Yellowstone populations since they are the source populations for the four other recovery areas that have few if any grizzlies.
“Defenders is pleased that this species remains listed under the ESA, and that USFWS is cognizant of the work that still needs to be done to ensure resilient, connected grizzly bear populations into the future. As with all decisions of this nature, however, the devils are in the details, and we look forward to examining them closely,” said Mike Senatore, Defenders of Wildlife Senior Vice President of Conservation Programs.
But others were not as positive.
The Western Landowners Alliance accused the Fish and Wildlife Service of “moving the goal posts.”
“The reality is that grizzly bears are increasing in population and expanding in range well beyond original recovery targets,” said Lesli Allison, Western Landowners Alliance chief executive officer. “People who live and work in recovery areas continue to experience increasing conflicts, safety concerns and disproportionate economic costs. It is imperative that state wildlife agencies, communities and landowners have both the flexibility as well as the tools and financial resources to manage this growing population and these challenges.”
Only the Northern Continental Divide and Greater Yellowstone populations have sufficient numbers of bears. The Cabinet-Yaak and Selkirk populations have less than 60 bears each while the Bitterroot and North Cascade populations have no bears.
Mike Bader, Flathead-Lolo-Bitterroot Citizen Task Force consultant, said it only makes biological sense to treat all bears as the same population.
“Science changes. Over the past 10 years, there’s been a lot of new grizzly bear research so the recovery plan needed to change,” Bader said.
Governor Greg Gianforte responded to the decision by blaming President Joe Biden.
“The full recovery of the grizzly bear across the Rocky Mountain region should be acknowledged and celebrated – period. It’s time for U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to catch up with the science, follow the law, and return management of grizzlies to the states, where it belongs. We look forward to working with the incoming Trump administration to explore a new path forward,” Gianforte said in a statement.
The Fish and Wildlife Service will accept public comment on the rule for 60 days. There will be a public meeting in Missoula on Jan. 28 at the Hilton Garden Inn, 3720 N. Reserve Street. The informational meeting will be from 3-5 p.m. and the hearing will be from 6-8 p.m.