“State agencies manage most species that aren’t federally endangered, and they take a lot of pride in their ability to do so.”
Three western states want to take over the management of federally protected grizzly bears, but opponents say it’s too early.
What’s happening?
Idaho, Wyoming, and Montana have all taken legal action to remove grizzlies from the Endangered Species List, Inside Climate News reported, explaining that this would shift management responsibilities from the federal government to these states. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which is responsible for the management of this list, says it will make its decision in January 2025.
“The states want to be in charge of management, and that is historically their role,” Mike Leahy, senior director of Wildlife, Hunting, and Fishing Policy at the National Wildlife Federation, told the news site. “State agencies manage most species that aren’t federally endangered, and they take a lot of pride in their ability to do so.”
However, opponents of the delisting say that conditions are not quite right in the region, pointing to anti-carnivore legislation, aggressive hunting practices, and increasing human-bear conflict…