WYOMING PETITIONS TO DELIST GRIZZLIES – The grizzly bear population has made a lot of progress in Yellowstone. Especially the population in the Greater Yellowstone area. The states of Wyoming, Montana and Idaho have worked to grow the population of the grizzlies. Their end goal was to have the bears removed from the endangered species list.
In September of 2021, Governor Mark Gordon issued a promise that he would push to remove grizzlies from the list. Consequently, on January 11th, 2022, Governor Gordon fulfilled the promise he issued.
Grizzly Population
It has taken a lot of work and a lot of fighting to increase the grizzly bear numbers in Yellowstone. The numbers were extremely low when the bears were put on the list. However, since that time, the number of bears have been fully recovered.
“This is an extraordinary and monumental success story for species recovery and should be celebrated,” Governor Mark Gordon said. “The GYE grizzly bear is ready to join the ranks of the bald eagle, American alligator, peregrine falcon and brown pelican as receiving proper recognition as a thriving, recovered and stable species.”
The numbers in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem have grown to over 1,000 bears. Furthermore, with the numbers being fully recovered, Governor Gordon has fulfilled his promise. He has issued the petition to remove grizzly bears from the endangered species list.
“Grizzly bears in the GYE are fully recovered and their management is now best entrusted to the experienced and capable institutions of the states. After all, Wyoming has invested more than $52 million and dedicated countless hours of Game and Fish expertise to reach this point” Governor Gordon said. “We’re optimistic the Service will view the petition favorably, and we look forward to working with them on delisting.”
Delisting Grizzly Bears
Delisting grizzly bears is not an easy process. Similar to the animals listed above, grizzlies will go through an approval process to remove them from the list. A process that will be met with much opposition.
The United States Fish and Wildlife Services have 90 days to review Governor Gordon’s petition. Meanwhile, they can either deny the petition or approve it for additional review at the 90 day mark. Ultimately, the process could take up to 12 months to finally settle on a decision.
Do you think bears should be removed from the Endangered Species List?
