Federal officials said last week they would not remove protections for grizzly bears.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced their decision Jan. 8. Montana and Wyoming sought a delisting of the animals in the Greater Yellowstone (GYE) and Northern Continental Divide Ecosystems (NCDE) in an attempt to return management of them to the states. 

Grizzlies have been classified as a threatened species since 1975 in the Lower 48 states under the Endangered Species Act.

Previous estimates by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said there were about 50,000 grizzlies in the western United States before 1800. 

But after Europeans arrived in North America, grizzly bears were considered a threat to livestock and human safety, creating an impediment to westward expansion and settlement. 

By 1974, after decades of trapping and hunting, about 700 to 800 bears remained, confined mostly to national parks and wilderness areas in Washington, Idaho, Montana and Wyoming. Grizzly bears were relegated to these areas in the 48 contiguous states primarily because of limited human influences.

In 2023, the agency said the Greater Yellowstone population was at 1,030 while the NCDE population was 1,163.

Some Montana elected officials, including Gov. Greg Gianforte, and U.S. Senator Steve Daines, decried the decision.

“Joe Biden has embraced a scorched earth strategy on his way out the door,” Gov. Gianforte said. “The full recovery of the grizzly bear across the Rocky Mountain region should be acknowledged and celebrated – period. It’s time for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to catch up with the science, follow the law and return management of grizzlies to the states, where it belongs. We look forward to working with the incoming Trump administration to explore a new path forward.”

Daines described the decision as, “incredibly frustrating.”

“Today’s announcement is incredibly frustrating for Montana,” Daines said in a statement. “For decades, Montana has followed the science and as a result, the bear has more than recovered in the Greater Yellowstone and the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystems. Continuing to move the goalposts on recovery is only harming the bear and putting our Montanan communities at risk. This is a shameful partisan play, and I’ll be pushing back every step of the way.”

In another statement to Associated Press, U.S. Rep. Ryan Zinke, R-Montana, expressed confidence the decision will soon be reversed.

“There’s no denying the Biden Administration jammed this through with 12 days to go knowing it’s a blatantly political play to appease radical environmentalists. Thankfully the political hands pulling the strings at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service are about to be fired and President Trump will no doubt immediately rescind this train wreck decision. This is why elections matter.”

When Zinke was U.S. Secretary of the Interior under President Donald Trump, FWS announced the delisting of the Yellowstone grizzly population in 2017, citing an estimated population of 700 bears.

Wyoming and Idaho were set to hold grizzly hunts in 2018 but U.S. District Court Judge Dana Christensen restored Endangered Species Act protection for the Yellowstone Grizzly bear population in September. He found FWS failed to consider the impact of delisting the Yellowstone distinct population segment on the remainder of the population.

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks opted to not hold a hunt. Montana was the last state to hold a grizzly hunting season in the lower 48 states. It occurred in 1991 and three bears were killed.

A number of environmental groups, Endangered Species Coalition, Friends of the Bitterroot, Friends of the Clearwater, WildEarth Guardians and Wyoming Wildlife Advocates issued a joint statement expressing support for the decision while also indicating their disappointment for another decision by FWS.

“We thank the Biden Administration for keeping grizzlies listed under the Endangered Species Act in the Northern Rockies and Washington, but we are disappointed with the proposal to remove protections for the remaining states in the Lower-48. With the current threat of habitat loss and climate change, grizzlies have a ways to go until they are recovered. Importantly, the states of Montana, Idaho and Wyoming are grossly unprepared to manage grizzlies and have adopted anti-predator policies that would reverse the recovery of this iconic native species.”

Included in the Jan. 8 announcement was the agency’s proposal to establish a single distinct population segment encompassing areas in Idaho, Montana, Washington and Wyoming, where suitable habitat exists and where grizzly bears currently reside or are expected to establish as populations recover. 

The Service is also proposing revisions to the current protective regulations to provide additional management flexibility for authorized agencies and individuals experiencing conflicts with grizzly bears. 

In its news release, the agency said, “Grizzly bear expansion is challenging for local communities and working lands, and the Service is committed to a collaborative approach and helping partner agencies, private landowners, and livestock producers by providing additional management tools.”

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Martha Williams explained the rationale for the agency’s proposal.

“This reclassification will facilitate recovery of grizzly bears and provide a stronger foundation for eventual delisting,” Williams said. “And the proposed changes to our 4(d) rule will provide management agencies and landowners more tools and flexibility to deal with human/bear conflicts, an essential part of grizzly bear recovery.

“It recognizes the need for responsiveness on private lands and areas where grizzly bear populations are impacting private landowners and livestock producers while continuing efforts to promote conservation in areas crucial to the eventual delisting of grizzly bears in the lower 48 as a whole.”

For more information on the proposed rule (including supporting materials) and how to participate in the public comment process, pvisit the project webpage at https://www.fws.gov/grizzlyrulemaking. 

The agency is seeking public comment on the proposals and hosting a handful of public meetings in the region.

They include:

- Tuesday, Jan. 28, Missoula, at the Hilton Garden Inn, 3720 N. Reserve St. An information meeting will be from 3-5 p.m., public hearing 6-8 p.m.

- Wednesday, Jan. 29: Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. Information meeting 3-5 p.m., public hearing 6-8 p.m. Pacific Standard Time.

Thursday, Jan. 30: Virtual meeting https://www.fws.gov/grizzlyrulemaking from 6-8 p.m.

Monday, Feb. 10: Cody, Wyoming. Information meeting 3-5 p.m., public hearing 6-8 p.m.