U.S. erred in declining protections for remote grizzly bears: judge
Source: Reuters
SALMON, Idaho (Reuters) - U.S. wildlife managers erred when they declined to list as endangered a small population of grizzly bears in the remote reaches of Idaho and northwest Montana, a federal judge has ruled in what conservationists on Wednesday hailed as a huge victory.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in 2014 determined the fewer than 50 grizzlies that roam the Cabinet Mountains and Yaak River drainage in the Northern Rockies were not in danger of extinction and did not warrant re-classifying as endangered or threatened under the federal Endangered Species Act.
The Montana conservation group Alliance for the Wild Rockies sued, arguing the so-called Cabinet-Yaak population of grizzlies would go extinct unless U.S. wildlife managers tightened restrictions on logging, mining and other activities in bear habitat, all safeguards that would come with endangered status.
On Tuesday a federal judge in Missoula, Montana, sided with the conservation group in a ruling that found that the Fish and Wildlife Service had violated U.S. law in determining that the number of outsized, hump-shouldered bears in the Cabinet-Yaak ecosystem could reach a targeted recovery goal of 100 without added protections.
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#ENVIRONMENT AUGUST 23, 2017 / 6:22 PM / AN HOUR AGO
Laura Zuckerman
Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-grizzlies-idUSKCN1B32NN
Angry Dragon
(36,693 posts)riversedge
(70,093 posts)central scrutinizer
(11,637 posts)[link:|
SergeStorms
(19,187 posts)"We advise the outdoorsman to wear little noisy bells on clothing so as to give warning to any bears close by so you don't take them by surprise".
We also advise anyone using the out-of-doors to carry "pepper-spray" with him in case of an encounter with a bear."
"Grizzly bear shit has bells in it and smells like pepper".
If that's an actual sign, it's great! If it's just a joke, that's great too!
Doug the Dem
(1,297 posts)peacebuzzard
(5,148 posts)montanacowboy
(6,080 posts)Lived there from 1968 to 1990 and again from 1995 - 2013. Hiked a lot of miles in the Cabinets and NEVER saw a Grizzly. I am glad to see this.
procon
(15,805 posts)Initech
(100,043 posts)Equinox Moon
(6,344 posts)safeinOhio
(32,641 posts)improve nature. Next they will call for the killing of all black bears in the area to help the grizzlies.