U.S. plan to lift Yellowstone grizzly protections faces mounting opposition
By Laura Zuckerman SALMON, Idaho (Reuters) - A U.S. government plan to lift Endangered Species Act protection of the grizzly bear in and around Yellowstone National Park drew a torrent of criticism from environmentalists and Indian tribes as the public comment period for the proposal came to a close on Wednesday. Much of the discontent has focused on the prospect of grizzlies in the region becoming open to trophy hunting under state management plans put in place once federal safeguards are removed. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service formally proposed in March that grizzlies in the Yellowstone area - spanning parts of Wyoming, Montana and Idaho - be removed from the list of threatened species, citing data showing their numbers have rebounded to healthy levels. Some 700 grizzlies currently frequent the Yellowstone area, up from as few as 136 bears when they were listed as threatened throughout the Lower 48 states in 1975, after decades of being hunted, trapped and poisoned to near-extinction. Sportsmen and ranchers, who wield considerable political clout in the region, point to growing bear-human conflicts as grizzlies expand their territories in search of food. Environmentalists argue grizzlies' recovery could falter if they are forced to contend with new pressures posed by hunting of the species outside the park. They caution that grizzlies already face a decline in a key food source, whitebark pine nuts, due to climate change. Conservation groups and Native American tribes opposed to de-listing issued a flurry of news releases in opposition to the plan on Tuesday, the last full day of 60-day comment period. "A lot of grizzlies will be killed; it's a step back for grizzly recovery"” said Bonnie Rice, a Yellowstone expert for the Sierra Club. Fish and Wildlife has received over 63,000 public submissions on the de-listing plan, far more than typically received for a regulatory proposal, though a spokeswoman said the breakdown between of pro and con was unknown. Supporters of de-listing said prudent bear management requires a leveling off of the population. "We're not asking to wipe out the grizzly bear," said Carlton Loewer, a Wyoming hunting outfitter. "Grizzlies are here to stay, and we're going to all have to get along. But we need to see this apex predator managed when they are affecting other wildlife and cows." The government may re-open the comment period after the three states have submitted management plans and the proposed rule has been peer-reviewed. A final decision is expected by year's end. (Editing by Steve Gorman and Sandra Maler)
