Wildlife officials relocate Glacier-area grizzlies to encourage genetic exchange — and delisting

Wildlife officials in Montana and Wyoming are shipping bears across ecosystems in an attempt to meet court-imposed conditions to delist their grizzly populations and take over management from the federal government.

A federal court in 2019 ruled Yellowstone’s grizzlies could not be delisted until they achieved reliable genetic exchange with bears in and around Glacier National Park.

Scientists say roaming grizzlies are only a few years away from connecting the ecosystems themselves. But Montana, Idaho and Wyoming are not waiting. The three states signed an agreement this year promising to transfer at least one bear per generation from Glacier down to Yellowstone.

The first transfers this week relocated one young male and one young female. In a statement, Gov. Greg Gianforte said the transfer demonstrated the states’ commitment to grizzly conservation and called on the federal government to delist their populations.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is reviewing the endangered status of grizzly bears, and says it expects to have a decision by January 2025.

Timeline: A History Of Grizzly Bear Recovery In The Lower 48 States

Facing threats from habitat loss, hunting and conflicts with people and livestock, grizzly bear numbers dwindled to fewer than 1,000 in the lower 48 by the time the Endangered Species Act (ESA) was implemented in 1975. Now, wildlife managers say the Greater Yellowstone and Northern Continental Divide populations have recovered and are ready for delisting. Here's a timeline of the management actions, court cases and notable events that have shaped grizzly bear recovery since their ESA listing through today.