In an effort to restore Endangered Species Act protections to the Yellowstone grizzly bears, several environmental groups, animal protection groups, and Native American tribes are suing the United States (U.S.) government.
The lawsuits were filed as a result of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s (FWS) June decision to delist grizzlies in the Yellowstone region. Eliminating the grizzlies from the list eliminates the protections offered them, making them vulnerable to trophy hunting in Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming and putting the entire grizzly population at risk of extinction.
Most of the cases claim that the FWS and Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke have prematurely declared the grizzly population recovered, a requirement of delisting, despite a rising Yellowstone mortality rate over the past few years.
“The Service failed to carry out its paramount – and mandatory – duty to ensure grizzly bears in the contiguous United States are recovered to the point at which the protections of the Endangered Species Act are no longer necessary…The Service’s decision is riddled with flaws, not based in science nor the law, and places this icon of all that is wild squarely in the crosshairs of extinction once again,” said Kelly Nokes of WildEarth Guardians.
The bears have yet to recover 98 percent of their lost historical range in the U.S. By making the Yellowstone region bears vulnerable, the cases argue, the FWS and Zinke have ignored their due diligence to ensure that the entire grizzly species is recovered. For that to happen, the Yellowstone grizzly population would have been connected to the grizzly population outside of the Yellowstone border, propagating genetic diversity outside and inside the region, including isolated populations. But this hasn’t happened, and erecting a border prohibiting the genetic diversity the grizzly needs is a threat to its survival.
The bears will be protected within Yellowstone Park, but outside the boundaries it will be open hunting season. Lifting protections outside the park borders will give the states of Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming management rights of the grizzlies and their populations. And that’s not good news. Ranchers, hunters, oil, gas, mining, and logging industries who hold political clout have long argued against grizzly protections.
The cases also argue the FWS and Zinke are ignoring scientific evidence pointing to the decline of the bear’s population, especially as it searches for food. The whitebark pines, disappearing because of climate change, are a key food source for the bears. Food scarcity has led to an increase in human-bear conflicts, as the bears expand their search for food. And grizzlies don’t know where the park begins and ends. So they could be protected in one moment, and then shot an instant later, as a trophy animal, for taking a wrong step in search of a shrinking food supply.
Grizzlies were first added to the list of protected species in 1975 when the population had dwindled to about 136 because of hunting, entrapment, and poisoning in the lower 48 states. The estimated number of grizzlies in the lower 48 states is now 1,800. Yellowstone grizzlies comprise a large portion of this; roughly 700. But the numbers over the past two years have been steadily declining. The Yellowstone grizzly population has dropped from 757 in 2014 to an estimated 690-95 in 2016.
Because of a 60-day waiting period, groups couldn’t file suit until now. But since the waiting period ended, the number of plaintiffs has been growing on a daily basis. They include: WildEarth Guardians, Alliance for the Wild Rockies, Western Watersheds Project, Native Ecosystems Council, the Humane Society of the US, The Fund for Animals, and Earthjustice representing a coalition of Sierra Club, Center for Biological Diversity, National Parks Conservation Association, and Northern Cheyenne Tribe.
These groups are joining the Native American tribes from seven U.S. states and Canada who have already filed suit against the government in a case stating that, because the bears are sacred to their culture, the decision to de-list them violates their religious freedom, tribal sovereignty, treaty rights, and the U.S. government’s obligation to have a discussion with tribal nations. A First Nations/Native American treaty “The Grizzly: A Treaty of Cooperation, Cultural Reviatlization and Restoration,” was signed in the fall of 2016 outlining restoration of and alternatives to the states management and proposed hunting of grizzlies.
Tribal nations look at the grizzly as a deity, a member of their clan, as part of nature to be respected.
Zinke’s statement from August 2017 epitomizes his (and this government’s) backwards views in direct contrast to those of tribal nations. He had this to say about his proposed expansion of fishing and hunting on wildlife refuges:
“As the steward of our public lands, one of my top priorities is to open up access wherever possible for hunting and fishing so that more families have the opportunity to pass down the heritage. The last thing I want to see is hunting and fishing become elite sports. These ten refuges will provide incredible opportunities for sportsmen and anglers across the country to access the land and connect with the wildlife.”
Aside from the sheer absurdity of the statement offering hunting as connection with wildlife, the “priorities” of delisting are obfuscated. It’s not lost on Zinke or this corporate-driven, climate change-denying administration that the delisting of grizzlies could lead to development on over 3 million acres of what was protected land. In fact, the Piikani Nation Chief addressed the connection of the Dakota Access Pipeline and delisting of the grizzly in a 2016 letter to the Secretary of the Interior, Sally Jewell. In a disturbing section he addresses the FWS choice of Amec Foster Wheeler, a large oil and gas multinational, whose CEO had been an executive of Halliburton, to oversee the scientific peer review of the delisting rule.
At the moment, the grizzlies face a grim future. And we do as well, if we continue to hunt and develop until all of nature is destroyed. Let’s hope these lawsuits bring some change before it’s too late.
If there is any kind of just god anywhere, let it allow the wildlife to ‘connect’ to each and every one of them WITHOUT their Smith and Wesson prosthetic pee-pees!
These precious animals should be protected not hunted for a game or satisfying giant egos Nothing very manly about hunting an animal for a trophy
Trophy hunting is Bull Shit in my view!
I am praying that good sense and understanding of our planet and its inhabitants will prevail. With the current insensitive US administration its a long haul, so I just pray harder.
If there’s a petition to save the grizzlies I’d definitely sign it. Anyone know if there’s one? This needs to stop. All trophy hunting everywhere.!!! It’s all murder
Amen! On another note – I also feel like people on death row, scum of the earth, etc. should be used for product testing instead of innocent animals. These poor animals are usually put to sleep after they have been sliced and diced in the name of science. Use those that already deserve to die and clear out our prisons.
I think that we should start mounting the heads of paedophiles, psychopathic serial killers and other evil human scum. I would see more meaning in that rather than wasting the life of beautiful majestic wild animals like our bears. If you like shooting go to a firing range and shoot at the human cut outs. It’s only a pathetic excuse for a human being who would shoot a wild animal be to get their jollies. And what chance does a wild animal have against a jerk with a gun. Think of all the money we could save keeping prisons less populated.
The only reason the government stated people can now hunt for grizzlies is to provide recreation for their asshole NRA buddies and lobbyists. We must not allow this to happen.
Thanks for the info & your posts. Your posts are part of my daily news I tune into now.
Wow.. These people need to get a life.. all snug in their cozy little houses with nothing to do so they come up with crazy idiot things to try to give their life meaning.. I feel bad for the people starting the lawsuits. Get a cat
Why are you even a member of this group if that’s how you feel? Why even post such an insulting comment about the people who DO care about the lives and protection of these bears. Just to be mean? Well done.
After reading my post – it seems I left a couple words out that would have made the comment make more sense – but the idea was understood. I just feel so strongly about our wildlife losing their lives for no other reason than human greed. There is nothing positive to say about a trophy hunter. If someone wants a trophy it should be for something to be proud of – not for being some macho asshole that was able to kill an endangered animal. That isn’t anything to be proud of and no one should congratulate them for doing it.
keep up the good work
It is time the US government under Trump is sued many times over against such thoughtless and myopic legislation. Trump and his anti-science and anti- environment team must be made to leave the White House by the American public. Such people will not only destroy America’s environment and wildlife but will bring out extinction of endangered birds, animals and plants sooner than we think.
Yes, Nelson. I’m with you.
These power hungry individuals who care nothing for the earth and humanity and our animals are so weak and knuckle under these horribly cruel people. It is pathetic what our society has become.
The only place in the World to have them, soon they will be on the endangered list!!
How can you pass on heritage if it’s being removed before our very eyes just so trophy hunters can put a rug on the floor and a head on the wall. The FWS needs to pull their collective heads out of the their collective arses and place the Grizzly Bear back on the endangered species list instead of cowtowing to big business and specia interests groups!! Oh yes those trophy hunters should be killed, have their heads mounted and their skin used as a rug.
This is terrible , they should be left alone in their own enviroment without interference.
The grizzlies need their bodies and fur more than a blood thirsty punk ass trophy needs a new head on their wall or a bear rug. I think for every bear taken out of this world – at least 50 to 100 trophy hunters should put out of their obvious mental illness misery. i hate trophy hunters and they serve absolutely no purpose in life. I BELIEVE IN THE RIGHT TO ARM BEARS!
Yes, Teresa, you said that beautifully. I agree with you 100%.
Trophy hunters are worthless!!!
Just thinking of their sleaziness makes me want to throw up.