Montana seeks to end protections for Glacier-area grizzlies

BILLINGS, Mont. – Montana is asking the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to assistance threatened taxon protections for grizzly bears successful the bluish information of the state, including areas successful and astir Glacier National Park, officials said Monday.

The state's petition comes aft carnivore populations grew successful caller decades, spurring much run-ins including grizzly attacks connected livestock and periodic maulings of people.

Removing national protections would springiness authorities wildlife officials much flexibility to woody with bears that get into conflicts, Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte said. But wildlife advocates warned of overhunting if protections are lifted.

Northwest Montana has the largest attraction of grizzlies successful the Lower 48 states, with much than 1,000 bears crossed an country that includes Glacier National Park and ample expanses of forested wilderness.

In March, U.S. authorities scientists said the region's grizzlies are biologically recovered, but request continued protection nether the Endangered Species Act due to the fact that of human-caused carnivore deaths and different pressures.

Ad

Hunting of grizzlies is banned successful the U.S. extracurricular Alaska. Bears considered problematic are regularly killed by wildlife officials.

“We’ve shown the quality to negociate bears, support their situation and colonisation numbers," Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Director Hank Worsech said successful a statement. "It’s clip for america to person afloat authorization for grizzly bears successful Montana.”

But wildlife advocates cautioned against giving the authorities power implicit grizzlies, aft Republicans including Gianforte person precocious policies that marque it overmuch easier to termination different arguable predator, the grey wolf.

“We don't judge that determination should beryllium hunting of these iconic, autochthonal carnivores,” said environmentalist John Horning with the radical WildEarth Guardians. “I person nary uncertainty the authorities would propulsion it to the implicit bounds truthful they could termination arsenic galore grizzlies arsenic possible.”

Ad

The Fish and Wildlife Service had not yet received the state's petition and had nary contiguous comment, spokesperson Joe Szuszwalak said.

Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, who oversees Fish and Wildlife Service, co-sponsored authorities portion successful Congress to summation protections for bears and reintroduce them connected tribal lands. Haaland declined to accidental however she would attack the contented erstwhile questioned during her February confirmation hearings.

As galore arsenic 50,000 grizzlies erstwhile ranged the occidental fractional of the U.S. Most were killed by hunting, trapping and situation nonaccomplishment pursuing the accomplishment of European settlers successful the precocious 1800s. Populations had declined to less than 1,000 bears by the clip they were fixed national protections successful 1975.

Protections were removed for much than 700 bears successful and astir Yellowstone National Park successful 2017, but aboriginal restored by a national judge.

Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon said successful September helium volition inquire the national authorities to remove protections for Yellowstone portion grizzlies and licence the region’s 3 states to negociate and perchance let hunting of the large bruins successful definite areas.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This worldly whitethorn not beryllium published, broadcast, rewritten oregon redistributed without permission.