Yellowstone Grizzly Bears Still Threatened, Court Says

BILLINGS, Mont. -- A federal appeals court says the decline of a food source for grizzly bears in the Yellowstone region is sufficient reason to keep the animals protected under the Endangered Species Act.

Tuesday's ruling from the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals blocks the federal government's effort to lift protections on about 600 threatened grizzlies in Montana, Wyoming and Idaho.

Two members of the three-judge panel criticized government wildlife officials for a "damn-the-torpedoes approach" to removing protections.

Some grizzly bears rely on whitebark pine nuts as a key food source. Beetle infestations brought on by a warmer climate have killed huge swaths of the trees at high elevations in the Yellowstone region.

Government biologists argue grizzlies can adapt and find other food sources.

Comments

[Neil20]

10:21 AM on 11/24/2011

The Court has made the right decision. Grizzly bears need to be protected for the next hundred years. What do these government biologists know about the grizzly? Look at their numbers. They've dwindled down to a mere 600 and the federal government wants to remove protection? Look at the US human population - over 312 million and growing. Human population and not the grizzly bear population should be controlled. (Of course, these religious fanatics will not permit it. They'd rather the earth be destroyed and natural resources be exhausted than control human population). Who is behind this outrageous decision to remove the protection of the bears? It's good that there are still some sane judges in the some (though not all) US courts. All wild animals - bears, wolves, mountain lions, coyotes, prairie dogs, musk rats, alligators, crocs etc - must be protected by special laws. American greed for more land for ranches and farming is wiping out many of these animals from the face of the earth. I thought that the Obama government was pro-environment and pro-earth. It turns out that he's made a treacherous backward flip from what he promised in his inaugural speech in 2008.

[metusmetu]

12:49 AM on 11/24/2011

To hell with the "Government Biologists"! I am a biologist my self! Leave these bears alone, and protect them! All they ever ask for is to be free, and provide for themselves, BUT PEOPLE WILL NOT LEAVE THEM ALONE!!

[ldsmember]

11:08 PM on 11/23/2011

O, Great Father! When do we determine when we have enough bears to balance the food source. It is not climate change or beetles killing the white bark pines, It is because the bears are eating all of the cones available. Someone with a PHD in ecology should be able to figure this out. PLEASE.

[Steve68112]

12:16 AM on 11/24/2011

And obviously you have a PHD in ecology since you know that eating pine cones kills mature pine trees, right? Can you say 'non sequitur'? THANK YOU and YOU'RE WELCOME.

[ldsmember]

06:09 PM on 11/24/2011

thank you very much. This question came up months ago that very few new trees were starting to grow due to climatic change. I suggest the griz population is about the at the number the forest can support. The wolves have reduced the Yellowstone elk by about one half over the last 15 years and now the wolf numbers are down by approximatly 1/3 from their peak numbers and they are spreading all over the west including Washington, Oregon, Utah, Nevada. Colorado, and Arizona. And, You're Welcome.

[BNevrgivup]

11:04 PM on 11/23/2011

Let's see 200 years ago there were Grizzly Bears in every State now there are only 600 plus in the Yellow Stone/Grand Teton Region...Wow and their no longer endangered, people 200 miles from this small territory are experiencing Grizzly incursions first hand. Solution move 500 miles or whatever it takes and leave these animals alone. There are approximately 1000-1400 left in America if you include Alaska. They numbered in the 200K+ good job of closing them out of their natural habitat. Global warming is killing one of their favorite food sources that's ok to.

[ttigerlilyx2]

11:54 PM on 11/23/2011

Don't forget the Spirit Bears.
Shale oil will wipe them and that entire pristine, totally unique niche thats the only place in the world they can be found.

[katarrah2]

09:51 PM on 11/23/2011

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5h-UYXr5bWrWoZxMQ2j1Z_ZsJO5pg?docId=696bb31be24548b39ed47457b608d13f

HEY! There's some hungry bears over there! Why are you taking away their food?

[katarrah2]

09:43 PM on 11/23/2011

Common sense says.... FEED THEM They will adjust as they can but what sense to let them die? No, it won't ruin them for finding food on their on in the future if it's done right. Sheesh... I can hear all the naturalist yelling now. Hey.. remember when you guys said... let nature take its course and let the forest burn? Where'd that get us?

[Chase McFadden]

09:07 PM on 11/23/2011

They may be threatened by indigestion, but that's about it. What people outside of Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming fail to realize is that the bears don't stop themselves at the park's boundaries. They're thriving. Ask people who are hundreds of miles from Yellowstone how the grizzlies are doing. You'll get a different story.

[aaldrew]

10:49 PM on 11/23/2011

Right

[Steve Albert]

11:39 PM on 11/23/2011

they were here before we were....

[fhmjam]

08:40 PM on 11/23/2011

Bears should be able to open casinos, draw people in, and devour accordingly. All the other animals would try to prove DNA assosciation so they could share in the revenue.

[bigdog82644]

08:24 PM on 11/23/2011

So feed the dam wolves to the bears if they are so important.

[grandpoobaaa76]

08:17 PM on 11/23/2011

I think I missed where they said WHY they were trying to take them off the endangered list. Does anyone know why?

[spydrworks1067]

01:33 AM on 11/24/2011

Probably for trophy hunters. It's the same reason why some states have been trying to lift protections for wolves...to protect game for trophy hunters.

[Joe Mando]

06:56 PM on 11/23/2011

The members of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals think they know better than the bioligists??

[insert sound of cuckoo bird]

[spydrworks1067]

01:39 AM on 11/24/2011

Do note..."government biologists" and there are defendants in the case speaking on behalf of the bears about reason to deny lifting protections. It's one set of biologists against another. The court is a mediator of sorts listening to both sides and then making a decision based on what both sides have provided in the case.

[sir winston]

06:27 PM on 11/23/2011

Leave the wildlife alone.They have just as much right here as we do.They are god's creature.They are a beautiful animal.

[Ken Renner]

11:38 PM on 11/23/2011

Go feed one Winston.

[Neil20]

10:26 AM on 11/24/2011

Who's talking about feeding them. Leave them alone. Let these frigging hunters shoot each other to death. They should get out of bear and wolf country and play with their guns in their own backyard instead of disturbing, killing and finishing off wild life. They think protect wild life. My foot!

[cdterm47]

05:44 PM on 11/23/2011

Well, those Grizzly's may have to forego pine nuts but in Montana those four legged walking rib-eye steaks will certainly compensate them for the absence of pine nuts. Of course, Peta could furnish dogs impounded that nobody wants as snacks for these wonderfully voracious beasts. All in all with only 600 left, heck the numbers should increase then lucky -- or unlucky if the weapon jams- hunters can have a shot at them!!!-- pun intended.

[katarrah2]

09:45 PM on 11/23/2011

LOL! Here's an idea... lets gather up all those overpopulated wild boars and stick them in a few pens over there. FRESH MEAT!

[cdterm47]

10:07 PM on 11/23/2011

katarrah2

Actually, that is wonderful. Get them to leave Texas. Have a luxurious trip North. What more would a swine want.

[Steve Albert]

11:41 PM on 11/23/2011

oh great ,... a new discovery channel show.....

[bluestarrlry]

05:23 PM on 11/23/2011

im sure there are quite a few in Canada and Alaska but 600 is not many bears to cover all the wilderness area out there for them, woundering what is causing them not multiply into the thousands quickly???

[cdterm47]

05:46 PM on 11/23/2011

bluestarriry

They are not multiplying as they should be because of same-sex marriage..

[bluestarrlry]

05:58 PM on 11/23/2011

not sure because if that were the case they would maybe be marrying a berry bush

[308Win]

05:21 PM on 11/23/2011

I wouldn't consider anything under a .300 Mag for a grizzly. A .338 is the best round.

[308Win]

08:47 PM on 11/23/2011

eh??? lol caps stuck or just mental issues?

[308Win]

08:49 PM on 11/23/2011

WV? Are your parents brother and sister?

[Steve Albert]

11:43 PM on 11/23/2011

I'll use a 45/70...

[invent57]

02:49 AM on 11/24/2011

.325 WSM