Wyoming wants to lift grizzly protections

Wyoming will ask the federal government to lift protections for grizzly bears in the Yellowstone region.

Recreational hunting of grizzlies planned

Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho should be allowed to manage and possibly hunt the large bears in certain areas, said Governor Mark Gordon on Thursday, 16 September 2021.

«We have repeatedly proven that we are professionals when it comes to wildlife conservation», said Gordon, a Republican.

The grizzlies in Yellowstone can weigh up to 320 kilograms. The population in the Yellowstone region has recovered from around 100 animals in 1975 to up to 1,000 animals today.

Fish and Wildlife recommends maintaining protections

Nevertheless, the Fish and Wildlife Service recommended in March, as part of a five-year review, that protections for grizzlies as a threatened species be maintained. Wyoming and Idaho had planned grizzly hunts after the administration of President Donald Trump lifted protections for the bears. In 2018, a federal judge reinstated those protections.

Wyoming, Idaho, and Montana cannot be trusted to manage grizzly bears, said Andrea Zaccardi, attorney for the Center for Biological Diversity.

Federal officials should reject this outrageous petition, which aims to turn Wyoming's endangered grizzly bears into trophy hunting targets.

Andrea Zaccardi