Fulfilling a promise made in September, Governor Mark Gordon has officially petitioned the US Fish and Wildlife Service to remove the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem population of grizzly bears from the Endangered Species List.
Gordon said, “This is an extraordinary and monumental success story for species recovery and should be celebrated. Wyoming has invested more than $52 million and dedicated countless hours of Game and Fish expertise to reach this point. We can now say the Greater Yellowstone grizzly is fully recovered.”
Gordon expressed his appreciation for the cooperative efforts of Montana and Idaho in making the petition possible.
The two states, along with Wyoming, separately approved a modified Tri-State Memorandum of Agreement establishing new management targets and discretionary management practices to keep the bear population well-above the minimum recovery level following delisting and affirmed their commitment to the bear’s genetic health and diversity.
Governor Gordon reiterated there is no biological or legal reason to keep Greater Yellowstone grizzly listed. The Fish and Wildlife Service has 90 days to review the petition. If they opt for additional review, it can take up to 12 months before they come to a final decision.
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