Grizzly Bear protections are back in the news. U.S. officials have announced they will review whether grizzly bears have enough protections across the Lower 48 states in a response to a lawsuit filed by advocates who want the bears restored to more areas. Under a settlement approved by U.S. District Judge Dana Christensen, that review is to be completed by March 31st.
In 2011, Federal wildlife officials had stated that additional areas should be considered for grizzly bear recovery, but never followed up on that. The Center for Biological Diversity charged in a lawsuit that officials should consider restoring grizzlies to areas of California, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, Nevada and Oregon.
Environmentalists also successfully sued in 2018 to block grizzly hunts planned in Wyoming and Idaho after the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service determined about 700 grizzlies in and around Yellowstone National Park no longer needed federal protection.
NPS/Adams photo
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