Gianforte, FWP say grizzly translocations shows Montana ready for delisting
After announcing on Friday that two grizzly bears from an ecosystem in northwest Montana had been translocated to Yellowstone National Park and Wyoming, Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte and several others said at a news conference Monday they believe states have done enough to show the federal government that grizzlies are ready to be delisted from Endangered Species Act protections.
That decision will come by the end of January 2025, a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service official said in a court filing a week-and-a-half ago and the agency confirmed, when the agency finalizes its decisions on whether to delist grizzly bears in the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem, Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, and all lower 48 states following requests to do so from Montana, Wyoming, and Idaho, respectively, during the past several years.
“Working with the state of Wyoming and our partners, we achieved the goals set for us, and we’ve shown the ability to manage bears, protect habitat, and population numbers,” Gianforte said outside the state Capitol in Helena Monday morning. “It’s time for the state to take over management of these iconic animals. It’s time to have full authority for grizzly bears in Montana returned back to Montana.”
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