Dozens of grizzly bears at risk as livestock encroaches on Wyoming forest, groups warn

Scientists believe about 50,000 grizzly bears used to occupy the U.S. Now there are fewer than 2,000 grizzly bears remaining in five isolated locations — and even more could be in danger.

Several environmental groups are worried that continued livestock grazing in a national forest in Wyoming would put the grizzly bear population in danger, and they’re planning to do something about it.

Conservationists are planning to sue the U.S. Forest Service within 60 days, according to the Associated Press. The Western Watersheds Project, the Alliance for the Wild Rockies and the Yellowstone to Uintas Connection say allowing grazing in the Bridger-Teton National Forest violates the Endangered Species Act. The Center for Biological Diversity and the Sierra Club also intend to sue.

“It’s an astounding decision by the Forest Service since federal district courts have ruled twice now that grizzly bears in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem still need to be protected under the Endangered Species Act,” Mike Garrity, Executive Director of the Alliance for the Wild Rockies, said in a news release.

The grizzly is classified as a “threatened” species, according to the Jackson Hole News & Guide. There are about 718 grizzlies in the Yellowstone ecosystem, according to the release. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service projected that 72 grizzly bears would die in the next decade if grazing were to continue.

That means about 10% of all grizzly bears in the Yellowstone ecosystem are projected to die in the next ten years if the grazing plans go forward.

The environmental groups say that continuing livestock grazing is in direct violation of the Endangered Species Act because it puts those bears in danger, according to the release.

The forest approved a plan to permit grazing last year, according to the Jackson Hole News & Guide. During that time, officials planned for up to 72 grizzlies to be “‘incidentally taken,’ or killed, as a result of conflict in the following 10 years.”

“It’s just disappointing that the federal government is once again caving to the livestock industry at the expense of our public lands and native wildlife,” Center for Biological Diversity senior attorney Andrea Santarsiere told the Jackson Hole News & Guide. .

“The U.S. Forest Service is reviewing the notification, Bridger-Teton spokeswoman Mary Cernicek said,” according to the AP.

This story was originally published January 22, 2020 at 4:54 PM with the headline "Dozens of grizzly bears at risk as livestock encroaches on Wyoming forest, groups warn."