Federal officials have closed public comment on plans for how the government should restore grizzly bears to the Bitterroot Ecosystem. State wildlife officials are urging against trapping and relocating bears from other parts of Montana.
Montana wildlife officials are pushing for grizzlies in ecosystems around Glacier and Yellowstone National Parks to be removed from the endangered species list.
In Montana Fish Wildlife and Park’s (FWP) comments on the Bitterroot restoration, the department made it clear the state believes federal officials should prioritize delisting those grizzlies before turning attention to the Bitterroot.
FWP spokesman Greg Lemon spoke on the matter.
“It would provide some assurance to Montanans in general that we can live with bears, deal with conflict when it happens, avoid conflict the best we can and still have solutions,” Lemon said.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service was ordered by a federal district court in Montana last spring to develop a new plan for reintroduction in the Bitterroot.
Grizzlies around Montana’s national parks have surpassed population recovery goals set by the federal government.
If grizzlies are delisted, Montana officials would take on more management of the species in the state.
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A federal judge has ordered the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and U.S. Forest Service to reexamine how a cattle grazing plan for areas north of Yellowstone National Park could impact grizzly bears. -
As grizzly bears continue expanding eastward outside of federal recovery zones, landowners are prepping for life with their new neighbors. Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks is hosting a series of Grizzly Bear Educational Workshops in central Montana. -
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will extend the public comment period on the decision to keep grizzly bears in the lower 48 under federal protections. -
Last week, President Trump released an order to freeze all kinds of federal rules proposed in the days before the Administration changed, including the latest grizzly bear delisting rule. The Trump Administration is reviewing what Biden tried to do with grizzlies, and deciding what’s next. -
The USFWS had scheduled public hearings on the decision for Missoula, Coeur D’Alene, Cody and online this week. In a statement, the agency wrote the meetings were cancelled while the new presidential administration reviews the proposal. -
Grizzly bears in the lower 48 will remain protected as “threatened” under the Endangered Species Act, federal officials announced Wednesday.
