Potential Delisting Of Grizzly Bears
In 1975 it was predicted that only 136 grizzly bears roamed the great Yellowstone National Park. With one of the greatest conservations success stories in the US, there are now more than 700 in the park, according the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Here’s public relations director Mark Holyoak of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation to explain his thoughts on the whole process.
“We’ve submitted our official comments as an organization, and that is that we’re in favor of the delisting. As far as the endangered species act goes, all of the criteria has already been met. And in our opinion this is the next step as to what should be done. Population levels are sustained, they’re doing well they have been for a number of years and they met all the criteria on that forefront. We have passed along our input on that situation and we encourage our members to do the same. It’s just for the grizzly bears in and around the greater Yellowstone region. Of course hunting is not allowed in the park, never has been. So, we’re talking Idaho, Montana, Wyoming outside of there and those regions because populations are doing well. In fact grizzly bears are showing up in places where they’ve never been before. They are going further and further out on the plains, the middle of Montana and causing some issues there. There’s definitely some need for management on that front as far as people living with them.
Tom “Sounds like this possible delisting is a step in the right direction, but it’s a good thing to remember as we’re all out in the woods is to be bear aware.”
