Biden Administration Keeps Protections for 2,000 Grizzly Bears in Rocky Mountain States Under Endangered Species Act

Jan 8, 2025, 09:31 PM

The Biden administration has announced it will continue protecting over 2,000 grizzly bears in four Rocky Mountain states, keeping them classified as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act. This decision comes despite objections from Republican-led states, including Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming, which have sought to reclaim state management of the grizzly population. Federal officials also plan to reclassify the bears' status to allow ranchers to shoot bears that attack livestock and to withdraw protections in states where grizzlies are no longer found, such as California, Colorado, New Mexico, and Oregon. Grizzlies have been protected since 1975, with their population recovering from fewer than 800 to over 2,000 in the lower 48 states, particularly in the Yellowstone and Glacier regions. Republican lawmakers and state officials criticized the decision as politically motivated, citing concerns such as Montana's law permitting the killing of grizzlies attacking livestock. Wildlife advocates supported the move, citing ongoing threats to the species, including habitat loss and human conflicts. Prior attempts to delist the species, including hunts scheduled in 2017, were blocked in court. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service stated that the reclassification aims to facilitate further recovery and eventual delisting of the species.