Defenders of Wildlife Releases Nationwide Assessment of Grizzly Recovery

Report Highlights Steps Needed for Grizzly Recovery Beyond Success in Yellowstone

(5/15/2006) - Missoula, MT − Despite the continued recovery of grizzly bears in Yellowstone National Park, the animals face extinction in other regions if important conservation steps aren’t taken soon, says a new report by Defenders of Wildlife. The report, Places for Grizzly Bears, was released during Bear Awareness Week (May 14-20) and assesses grizzly recovery in six key areas of grizzly habitat. It also provides recommendations for ensuring healthy populations in those regions.

“We are encouraged that grizzly bears appear to be doing better in Yellowstone, but bears in many other areas are hanging on by a thread. There are several grizzly populations in dire need of immediate attention or we will lose them forever,” said Rodger Schlickeisen, president of Defenders of Wildlife.

Places for Grizzly Bears discusses the challenges of restoring grizzly bears in six areas identified as suitable grizzly habitat: 

• The Yellowstone ecosystem (in Wyoming and along the Montana and Idaho border); 
• the northern Continental Divide ecosystem (along the Rocky Mountain front in northern Montana); 
• the Cabinet/Yaak ecosystem (along the northern Montana/Idaho/Canada border);
• the Selkirk ecosystem (along the Idaho/Washington/Canada border);
• the North Cascades ecosystem (in northern Washington state); and 
• the Bitterroot ecosystem (in western Idaho).

In each region, the report discusses challenges to grizzly recovery, such as illegal hunting, habitat loss, oil and gas drilling, and cuts to federal and state conservation budgets. Also offered are solutions to aid grizzly recovery, including hunter education programs, human-bear conflict reduction measures (i.e. bear-proof trash bins), improved bear surveys and monitoring and measures to ensure healthy gene pools for breeding. 

“In some key grizzly recovery areas, there are fewer than 50 bears left. We can no longer rely on bears migrating down from Canada to boost our populations. We must take action now before these populations disappear forever,” said Minette Johnson, Northern Rockies representative for Defenders and author of the report.

“While paying lip service to grizzly bear recovery, the Bush administration has done nothing to bolster these ailing populations and has actively worked to undermine recovery efforts by cutting funding and derailing projects that have widespread public support,” said Johnson. 

“It is our responsibility to protect these bears for future generations and right now, we are failing in that task,” added Johnson.

The release of the report comes shortly after the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposed removing the Yellowstone grizzly bear population from the list of endangered species. Defenders of Wildlife strongly opposes the removal of the Yellowstone population for reasons outlined in the report. 

Places for Grizzly Bears is available on line here.

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Defenders of Wildlife is recognized as one of the nation's most progressive advocates for wildlife and its habitat. With more than 490,000 members and supporters, Defenders of Wildlife is an effective leader on endangered species issues.

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Contact(s):

Minette Johnson, (406) 549-4103
William Lutz, (202) 772-0269