BILLINGS, Mont. — On Wednesday, the Biden administration announced its commitment to continue safeguarding approximately 2,000 grizzly bears in the Rocky Mountains, despite pushback from Republican-led states.
Federal officials also indicated that certain restrictions would be lifted amidst a rise in bear-human conflicts. Ranchers operating beyond designated grizzly recovery areas will have the option to shoot bears that threaten livestock or pets. Additionally, state authorities might gain the ability to capture and relocate bears to avert potential conflicts.
The protections will be removed in states where grizzly populations have disappeared, including California, Colorado, New Mexico, and Oregon.
These recent changes could be reconsidered under the incoming administration of President-Elect Donald Trump. Details regarding the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s decision were reported before the official announcement.
Grizzly bears, formidable creatures that can weigh up to 800 pounds and live for over 25 years, have been classified as a threatened species in the contiguous United States since 1975. During Trump’s first term, efforts were made to revoke these protections, but those attempts were stopped by the courts.
Republican representatives from Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming have been advocating to regain state control over grizzly management since 2021, which may lead to regulated hunts; however, state officials have assured that such hunts would be limited and would not put the population at risk.
While federal officials plan to gradually lift protections, they did not specify a timeline for these actions. Martha Williams, the director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, stated that “This reclassification will facilitate recovery of grizzly bears and provide a stronger foundation for eventual delisting.”
The agency has opened a public comment period regarding the potential use of hunting to alleviate conflicts between bears and humans, which would necessitate a specific exemption from the Endangered Species Act and is likely to face legal challenges from environmental groups.
The public is also invited to share their thoughts on the relaxed rules regarding shooting bears that threaten livestock.
This decision has drawn strong criticism from Montana Representative Ryan Zinke, who previously sought to remove protections for bears in and around Yellowstone National Park during his tenure at the U.S. Interior Department under Trump. Zinke expressed that the Biden administration’s actions were politically motivated to satisfy radical environmentalists.
Criticism has also come from Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon, Montana Governor Greg Gianforte, and several congressional members, while wildlife advocates praised the administration’s decision. Andrea Zaccardi from the Center for Biological Diversity remarked that the Fish and Wildlife Service rightly adhered to scientific guidance.
Grizzly bears have significantly increased their range over recent decades, including dense populations in parts of western Washington, leading to more encounters with livestock and, on rare occasions, humans.
Federal scientists have concluded that in certain western regions, including around Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks, the bear population has biologically rebounded. However, concerns remain that state wildlife regulations may not provide adequate safeguards for the species.
Chris Servheen, a former grizzly recovery coordinator for the Fish and Wildlife Service, emphasized that maintaining federal protections is essential for the bears’ continued range expansion. He warned that without these regulations, grizzly populations could again face extinction due to climate change and state measures aimed at population control.
Historically, grizzly bears once populated a vast area from Texas to the Canadian border, with an estimated 50,000 of them roaming across 18 states. By 1975, the population had dwindled to a mere 700 to 800 due to extensive overhunting and trapping.
As a result of aggressive recovery efforts led by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the number of grizzlies in the contiguous United States has grown to over 2,000, with even larger populations found in Alaska, where hunting is sanctioned.
Nevertheless, even in regions where hunting is prohibited, humans remain the primary threat to bear populations. Each year, numerous bears are killed by wildlife agents for livestock attacks, by hunters in self-defense situations, or as a result of vehicle collisions.
After losing protections temporarily in the Yellowstone area in 2017, hunts were planned in Wyoming and Idaho, but they were ultimately blocked by a court ruling just days before they were set to begin.
In the years following, federal officials have raised alarms about laws from Republican-led states that could jeopardize grizzly populations. In Montana, for instance, there are regulations permitting the killing of grizzlies that threaten livestock.
Montana and surrounding states have also pushed for aggressive measures against gray wolves, prompting concerns that grizzlies might be unintentionally trapped and harmed.
In 2021, federal scientists found that protections for grizzlies were still warranted due to human-caused fatalities, but by 2023, they confirmed “substantial” evidence of grizzly recovery in designated zones surrounding Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks.
