Grizzly Bear (Ursus arctos horribilis)
About Grizzly bear
This content will include a relatively brief overview of the species' ecology, distribution, ecological status, management status, etc.
News
CALIFORNIA SENATE DECLARES ‘YEAR OF THE CALIFORNIA GRIZZLY BEAR’ [CENTER FOR BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY - APRIL 8, 2024
CALIFORNIA SENATE DECLARES ‘YEAR OF THE CALIFORNIA GRIZZLY BEAR’ [CENTER FOR BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY - APRIL 8, 2024
Posted on May 4, 2024
"The California State Senate today passed a resolution to officially declare 2024 the “Year of the California Grizzly Bear” to mark the 100th anniversary of the extirpation of California’s official state animal. The last reliable sighting of a wild grizzly bear in California was in the spring of 1924 in Sequoia National Park."
"The extirpation of the grizzly bear from California a century ago is the most significant species loss in the state’s history,” said State Sen. John Laird (D-Santa Cruz), author of the resolution. “The grizzly was ecologically and culturally significant to California, and today, 100 years since its disappearance, it remains an important icon for the state, evident by its place on our state flag and seal. This year more than ever, we should reflect upon its loss and do everything we can to ensure no other native species goes extinct under our watch.”
Photo Credit: from Center for Biological Diversity press release.
GRIZZLY BEARS ARE MAKING A COMEBACK [HUFFPOST - FEBRUARY 9, 2024]
CALIFORNIA SENATE DECLARES ‘YEAR OF THE CALIFORNIA GRIZZLY BEAR’ [CENTER FOR BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY - APRIL 8, 2024
Commentary by Tom Skeele, CCC
Posted on April 16, 2024
Why didn't the grizzly bear cross the road? Because Interstate 90 served as a block.
Or, as Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (MTFWP) emphasized in a 2022 article, the bear was "stymied" (see https://fwp.mt.gov/.../montana.../2022/grizzlycrossing.pdf).
From that publication:
"Costello mapped [the bear's] locations and was struck by what she saw. 'Over 29 days in fall of 2020 and 24 days in spring of 2021, he appeared to have attempted to cross Interstate 90 at least 46 times,' she says. The bear finally made it past the obstacle in early May 2021, 'probably by walking or even swimming under a set of highway and railroad bridges crossing the Clark Fork River,' Costello says."
The grizzly bear featured in this publication has been dubbed "Lingenpolter."
And while this MTFWP article is from two years ago, recently it has been making the rounds on social media because of a February 9th article in HuffPost, titled "Grizzly Bears Are Making A Comeback."
The HuffPost article discusses how grizzly bears are starting to reoccupy the Bitterroot region of the U.S. Northern Rockies. The article explains the implications this way:
"The breakthrough made Lingenpolter one of several grizzlies in recent years to bust his way past the formidable obstacles blocking bears from traveling toward the Bitterroot ecosystem, a region that stretches across northern Idaho and a small swath of western Montana."
"Grizzly conservationists have long viewed the region as a key area for recovering the keystone species, whose range in the contiguous United States has been reduced to a handful of recovery zones since being listed as “threatened” in the Lower 48 under the Endangered Species Act. But for two decades, the federal government took no action to urge restoration to the Bitterroot, even though the mission to return bears there is written into federal law."
"That hands-off policy is quickly changing now that grizzlies are wandering back into the area on their own."
Photo Credit: from Yellowstone Safe Passages.
WOLF TRAPPING BLOCKED IN MUCH OF IDAHO TO PROTECT THREATENED GRIZZLIES [COURTHOUSE NEWS SERVICE - MARCH 20, 2024]
Commentary by Tom Skeele, CCC
Posted on April 4, 2024
Last week, a federal judge in Idaho ruled that year-round wolf trapping and snaring should be stopped across much of Idaho because the traps are likely to capture and harm grizzly bears.
The attached article highlights the fact that "the judge ruled wolf traps were likely to ensnare grizzly bears even if all procedures were properly followed."
Congrats and thanks to the many conservation organizations who challenged the state of Idaho's liberal wildlife control, er, ah, management policies.
Photo Credit: from Courtroom News Service article.
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE IDENTIFIES ‘PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE’ TO RESTORE GRIZZLY BEARS TO THE NORTH CASCADES. [FRIENDS OF THE NORTH CASCADES GRIZZLY BEAR - MARCH 21, 2024]
Posted on March 27, 2024
"National Park Service Identifies ‘Preferred Alternative’ to Restore Grizzly Bears to the North Cascades... federal agencies announced their preference to bring grizzly bears back to the North Cascades Ecosystem."
Thanks to Conservation Northwest for letting us know about this great news.
Photo Credit: from Friends of the North Cascades Grizzly Bear article.
GUEST LETTER: FWP MISSES THE MARK ON GRIZZLY DELISTING [MOUNTAIN JOURNAL - FEBRUARY 28, 2024]
GUEST LETTER: FWP MISSES THE MARK ON GRIZZLY DELISTING [MOUNTAIN JOURNAL - FEBRUARY 28, 2024]
Commentary by Tom Skeele, CCC
Posted: March 23, 2024
The subtitle to this article is "Six wildlife experts say Montana isn't ready to remove grizzly bears from the Endangered Species List."
When the former grizzly bear recovery coordinator with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, two former members of the Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission, a former National Forest supervisor with the U.S. Forest Service, a former regional supervisor with Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, and a former tribal wildlife program manager with the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes collectively speak up about grizzly bear management in Montana, we all should listen.
Photo Credit: from Mountain Journal article