
In the Northern Rockies, grizzly bears are part of our unique Western wildlife heritage, but some politicians and government bureaucrats in the region are hostile to grizzly bears and other carnivores. Grizzly bears are beginning to recover from a century of persecution and habitat loss, but now is not the time to remove protections. We need to keep safeguards in place until the science shows grizzly bears are fully recovered, and until the states have adequate rules in place to ensure grizzly bears will thrive for future generations.
GRIZZLIES NEED PERMANENT PROTECTIONS
STILL VERY MUCH IN DANGER
Grizzly bears in Wyoming’s Rocky Mountains face ongoing challenges that warrant continued protection, despite their population recovery from historic lows. While the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem now supports around 1,000 grizzlies, these bears require vast territories and face increasing habitat fragmentation from development, energy extraction, and recreational activities. Climate change has disrupted traditional food sources, forcing bears to roam more widely and increasing their likelihood of human conflict. Additionally, Wyoming’s expanding human population is creating more opportunities for bear-human encounters, which often end tragically for the bears. These factors, combined with the grizzly’s naturally low reproductive rate and the need to maintain genetic diversity across connected populations, underscore why permanent protection measures remain essential for the species’ long-term survival in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.

The Current Situation
Grizzlies in Wyoming and Montana could face trophy hunting soon. An announcement will be made in January 2025.
The states of Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho want only the bare minimum of grizzly bears. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) is currently in the process of conducting a “complete status review” after receiving petitions from Wyoming and Montana. Wyoming asked the USFWS to remove Endangered Species Act protections from Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem grizzlies and Montana has asked that Endangered Species Act protections be removed from grizzlies in the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem. The USFWS has delayed their decision but has said they will be finalizing a determination in January of 2025.

“We could potentially use harvests in a heavier fashion outside the DMA.”
– Dan Thompson, Large Carnivore Supervisor,
Wyoming Game and Fish Department
The Facts
Grizzly bears are on the path to recovery, but to avoid a backslide we must work to better protect grizzlies
We need to keep safeguards in place until the science shows grizzly bears are fully recovered, and until the states have protective rules in place to ensure grizzly bears will thrive for future generations.
399 showed us that grizzly bears deserve our respect
She played with her cubs, cared for them, worried over them, just as any human mother would her children. She showed the world that bears are smart and can adapt to successfully coexist with humans, living without conflict for decades among Jackson’s year-round residents and millions of summer tourists. But this was not without vigilance and willingness from humans to coexist with grizzlies in this shared landscape.
Grizzly bears are dying even with ESA protections
2024 may be a record breaking year for grizzly bear deaths. There have been at least 68 deaths so far this year, all but one caused by humans. 399’s death is an example of the threats that humans pose to these complex creatures. Hunter-bear conflicts, livestock interactions, climate change-induced impacts on the diet of these bears, as well as sprawling development encroaching on grizzly habitat all are major threats to their survival.
Grizzly bears have begun to recover in some places, but not all
Only when grizzlies have returned to the Bitterroots, Cabinet Yaak, Selkirks and have interbreeding populations with the isolated Yellowstone & Continental Divide Ecosystems will the grizzly population be truly recovered. They need protected and connected habitat throughout the Northern Rockies and proven natural genetic interchange with stable, growing populations in order to have long-term viability. Click the image to the right to see more detail.
Hunting bears does not reduce conflicts
There is a story being told out there that if only we hunt grizzlies, then they will be afraid of humans and we will have fewer conflicts. This is NOT true. Never has been and never will be. Conflict prevention measures taken by people are what reduces conflicts between humans and wildlife. There is a growing body of scientific evidence out there that proves hunting does not reduce conflicts. Here is one study that is the latest information on this topic.
The states have made it clear they will rely on trophy hunting to help achieve minimum population levels
Delisting grizzly bears would be disastrous for their recovery in Wyoming and Montana because these states are intent on reducing grizzly bear populations as much as possible if they are granted management authority. Instead of talking about the difference between 1,000 bears and 800 bears, we should be aiming for thousands of bears across the Rocky Mountains. This narrow view of focusing solely on numbers and not on the holistic recovery of ecosystems is not sound wildlife management and is not backed by science.





