Grizzly protections upheld

Town Crier “Briefs from the Region” (1) – 7/9/20

Wyoming, Idaho and Montana are home to nearly 700 grizzly bears, a population that has long been a point of contention among conservationists and hunters. In a big win for grizzlies in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, a federal court reversed a Trump administration policy that eliminated protections for these bears. The Fish and Wildlife Service delisted grizzlies in 2017, an act the three-judge panel this past Wednesday deemed contrary to science.

“This is a tremendous victory for all who cherish Yellowstone’s grizzly bears and for those who’ve worked to ensure they’re protected under the Endangered Species Act,” Andrea Zaccardi, a senior attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity, said in a statement. “Hunting these beautiful animals around America’s most treasured national park should never again be an option.”