Animals
Grizzly bear populations in the Rocky Mountains are recovering
Grizzly bears could lose their status as an endangered species – which comes with a risk. photo
© Brontë Wittpenn/San Francisco Chronicle via AP/dpa
It’s good news at first glance: Grizzly bears may soon no longer be considered an endangered species. But conservationists fear what might follow.
The US wildlife agency is considering removing grizzly bears in the northern Rocky Mountains from the endangered species list.
The conservation authority announced on Friday (local time) that the grizzly bear population in northern Montana and in the Yellowstone National Park area would be monitored closely for a year. After that, a decision will be made as to whether the mighty bears in the affected regions should continue to be protected. If grizzlies are taken off the list, it could mean the animals can be hunted again.
In the 18th century there were around 50,000 grizzly bears in what is now the western United States, according to the Conservation Agency. By 1975, the population in the area had been reduced to between 700 and 800 animals. Today, almost 2,000 bears are again living in the US states excluding Alaska. Grizzly bears are a subspecies of brown bears, but they are typically heavier and larger than other bears, ranging from 200 to 300 kilograms, according to the Nature Conservation Agency, and are found exclusively in North America. According to reports in the New York Times, conservationists have criticized the authorities’ decision to end protections for bears.