On Monday night, a federal judge ruled to restore the protection of Yellowstone’s grizzlies under the Endangered Species Act. In the months leading up to the ruling, Wyoming and Idaho had been planning to open the first trophy-hunting season in the continental U.S. since the early 1970’s.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service prematurely delisted Greater Yellowstone grizzlies from ESA protection in June 2017, handing over management responsibilities to Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming. Following the delisting, Wyoming and Idaho wildlife officials immediately launched plans to allow the legal killing of up to 23 grizzlies by trophy hunters.
In his 48-page ruling, U.S. District Judge Dana Christensen described several ways in which Fish and Wildlife Service exceeded their legal authority by ending the protection of Greater Yellowstone grizzlies. According to Christensen, the agency failed to consider how the roughly 1,200 grizzlies in five other recovery areas would be affected by the delisting of the 750 grizzlies in and around Yellowstone National Park. He also ruled that the FWS “acted arbitrarily and capriciously in analyzing threats to the Yellowstone bears.”
Activist groups across the US — including Lady Freethinker — welcome this decision after a long battle to save the grizzlies from hunters. Our petition to stop the trophy hunting of grizzlies garnered over 100,000 signatures. Thanks to all who added their voice!
This isn’t the first time in recent years that the FWS has tried to delist vulnerable endangered species. In 2007, the agency unsuccessfully attempted to delist grizzlies in the Yellowstone region. Then, in 2017, the FWS tried and failed to prematurely delist Great Lakes wolves.
The FWS intends to persist with their efforts, hoping to successfully delist grizzlies in the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem by the end of the year. For now, however, a victory for animal rights has been achieved, and hunting season is off.
What’s New…
Hooray ! great !
HOORAY!
HOORAY!
YES! YES! YES!
Thank you, U.S. District Judge Dana Christensen! You are a hero for grizzlies, the environment, and for America!
Thank you, Lady Freethinker for having this petition (and all of your other ones) for us to sign!
– And thank you to everyone who signed it. You truly help me feel less lonely in this world.
Thank you for all your hard work and effort Lady Freethinker. You are a saint.
TRUMP IS PROHIBITING SIGNITURES~!
TRUMP IS PROHIBING ; SIGNITURES ; THESE ARE our PARKS’
Woohooo! Our government needs to quit killing off our wildlife and ruining our pristine wilderness areas set aside for future generations. Quit selling us out! We need these areas and animals more than concrete jungles and people who are just interested in the next muti-million dollar deal.
Oh praise the lord. the Trump administration is trying to remove protections from all wild animals so their hunters can be happy and go on killing sprees. Every victory like this one should be applauded and the news spread widely to encourage more action to protect animals.
We need to protect animals; this is good news.
This is GREAT news for all the grizzlies in Yellowstone!
Todo ser vivo tiene derecho a este planeta no solo la raza humana fuimos creados para vivir en el y nadie es mas que nadie ni tiene derecho a pensar que es superior
Sickened by the human race and the lack of compassion together with the exploitation of the beautiful animals for pleasure or gain. When will it ever end!!
YAY!
Yeah some good news, feels so good to hear that, so sick and tired of animals being tortured and slaughtered by sick humans.
Tåler ikke Nå skal verdens Dyre organisasjon Gripe inn Nåååååå uMiddelBart.Ja og Knuse Den Dritten Der Øsj.
So sick of humans lack of compassion and cruelty towards defenceless animals.
I wish the Fish & Wildlife Service would stop using taxpayers’ money to exterminate the animals they’re supposed to “manage.” especially the wild horse and donkey herds!
USFWS PEOPLE ARE JERKS! THEY REALLY DON’T CARE ABOUT WILDLIFE. THEY DO THE JOB FOR MONEY ONLY.
Well done Judge Dana. An excellent decision. Thank you.
Yes, warming news for a change – thank you for saying that Rebecca, on the tip of my tongue ! so much bad stuff about, this is so good to hear.
Thank goodness..some warming news for a change!
Come on USA what’s with shooting animals let them live there life in peace. A decision for common sense!
Thank you.
good – my belief in people reinstated
Thank God. Someone can see sense!
A big thanku to judge Dana Christiandon and to all animal rights activists.
Grizzlies saved – more to go! Like wolves and now mountain lions/cougars/panthers.
Thank you to U.S. District Judge Dana Christensen for helping to keep grizzlies protected!
Thank you! Federal Judge and animal organizations that helped in this
decision. God Bless the animals, prosecutors and judges.
I am thrilled to hear about this victory for grizzley bears.
BLESS YOU FOLKS I KNOW YOU HAD A BIG HAND IN THIS HAPPENNG