The Fish and Wildlife Service on Wednesday announced its long-awaited conclusion that grizzly bears still require federal protection under the Endangered Species Act.
In a move that stunned Western officials but gratified environmentalists, FWS rejected proposals that the bears be considered as living in distinct Yellowstone-area and Northern Continental Divide populations that no longer qualify as threatened species.
Instead, the federal agency proposes establishing a single distinct population segment encompassing areas in Idaho, Montana, Washington and Wyoming, where suitable habitat exists and where grizzly bears currently reside or are expected to establish as populations recover.
“This reclassification will facilitate recovery of grizzly bears and provide a stronger foundation for eventual delisting,” FWS Director Martha Williams said in a statement.
Williams added that the agency will propose changes that will “provide management agencies and landowners more tools and flexibility to deal with human/bear conflicts, an essential part of grizzly bear recovery.”
Wyoming petitioned in January 2022 to remove the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem population of grizzly bears from the list of threatened species. This population inhabits portions of Wyoming, Montana and Idaho.
A separate petition from the state of Montana urged federal officials to delist the Northern Continental Divide grizzly bear population that inhabits northern Montana in and around Glacier National Park.
More broadly, FWS also assessed the status of the entire grizzly bear population throughout the lower 48 states in response to a petition from the state of Idaho.
FWS listed the grizzly bear population in all of the lower 48 states as threatened in 1975.
Mike Senatore, senior vice president of conservation programs for Defenders of Wildlife, said the organization was “pleased that this species remains listed under the ESA” and applauded FWS for recognizing that “work still needs to be done to ensure resilient, connected grizzly bear populations into the future.”
