Tribal opposition leads to delay on status of Yellowstone grizzly

Thursday, January 12, 2017

A decision on the status of the grizzly bear in and near Yellowstone National Park is being left to the incoming administration of Republican president-elect Donald Trump.

Tribes across the nation strongly oppose the removal of the bear, a sacred animal, from the protections of the Endangered Species Act. Apparently, so does the public -- more than 650,000 comments have been submitted and it will take the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service a few more months to review them, The Associated Press reported.

Tribes are worried that delisting the bear will lead to hunting in Montana, Idaho and Wyoming. Some 106 Yellowstone-area grizzlies have been killed in the last three years , the AP reported, although not all of those were caused by hunters.

Trump's pick to lead the Interior Department, which includes the Fish and Wildlife Service, is Rep. Ryan Zinke, a Republican from Montana. Zinke is an avid hunter but he doesn't appear to have said anything directly about grizzly bear management issues in Yellowstone. However, he has supported legislation to remove protections for other animals that are now subject to hunting, according to the GOAL Tribal Coalition.

Zinke is going before the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources for his confirmation hearing on January 17.

Read More on the Story:
Opposition stalls end of Yellowstone grizzly protections (AP 1/11)

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Grizzly Bear Documents:
Press Release | Proposed Rule | FAQ