WildLife
FIGHTING FOR ENDANGERED SPECIES PROTECTION
In 1975, the grizzly had nearly disappeared from Yellowstone and the lower 48 states. That year, the bear was given Endangered Species Act protection, and a few years later, a rebound began. Today, the Greater Yellowstone area is home to between 500 and 600 grizzlies -- a significant achievement, but far from enough to ensure the bear's long-term survival. Wildlife biologists say the grizzly population must at least double its current size in order to ensure a full recovery.
Despite abundant evidence of threats to grizzlies and their habitat, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service officially removed the Yellowstone grizzly from the list of protected species in 2007. NRDC and other groups immediately challenged the decision by filing a lawsuit in Idaho federal district court, arguing that the grizzly's survival is still threatened and that current state and federal plans will not be able to maintain the population. The case will likely take years to resolve.
Meanwhile, roughly 50 grizzlies were killed in 2008 -- more than in any single year since 1972, before the population was listed as threatened. The deaths demonstrate that adequate systems are not in place to maintain a healthy grizzly population in Yellowstone.
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