States may soon manage grizzly bears after exceeding recovery goals

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — The federal government is proposing to give Idaho, Montana and Wyoming greater authority to manage grizzly bear populations.

Since 1975, grizzly bears have been a protected species under the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, meaning only the federal agency can handle anything regarding a grizzly bear's status.

In 1993, the federal organization created a recovery plan to boost the species population. Since then, there have been cases, starting back in 2017, to remove grizzlies from the protected species list.

This proposal would allow specific state organizations to capture and kill grizzlies under their own terms instead of the federal governments. The move could increase flexibility for grizzly bear management in the areas where species have met or exceeded federal recovery benchmarks.

Sens. Jim Risch, Mike Crapo, along with Gov. Brad Little have applauded the move, each stating that the grizzly population have exceeded recovery goals and that management should be left to each state.

"It’s abundantly clear Idaho’s grizzly bear populations have widely exceeded recovery goals," Risch said. "Increasing state authority to manage grizzly bears ensures our own local wildlife agencies, who understand Idaho’s environment best, can follow the science and make commonsense conservation decisions without bureaucratic inefficiencies."

"The recovery of the grizzly bear in the West is a conservation success story made possible by decades of work from state, tribal, federal and local conservation partners," Crapo said. "For years, I have advocated for returning grizzly bear management to the states as recovery objectives and benchmarks have been achieved. Secretary Burgum’s announcement moves us one step closer to allowing Idaho wildlife professionals to manage a recovered grizzly population in a way that protects both the species and Idaho communities."

"Idaho has proven we can successfully conserve grizzly bears while responsibly managing wildlife and protecting our communities," Little said. "This proposal is another important step toward returning wildlife management to the states, where decisions are guided by science and those closest to the land. I appreciate President Trump and Secretary Burgum for recognizing what Idaho has long maintained – that recovered grizzly populations should be managed by the states, not Washington, D.C."

For more information about the proposal, you can visit the United States Fish & Wildlife Service.

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