Yellowstone grizzly bear population considered fully recovered

June 26, 2017 9:37 PM

Site staff,

Posted: June 26, 2017 9:37 PM

Updated: December 19, 2019 11:24 PM

by Site staff

Yellowstone grizzly bear population considered fully recovered — Courtesy Mfenniak from Wikimedia Commons

According to the U.S. Department of Interior, the Yellowstone grizzly bear population has fullly recovered and federal protections will be removed.

“The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation supports the delisting of grizzly bears,” said David Allen, RMEF president and CEO. “It’s been a long time coming and we think this is the appropriate move by Secretary Zinke and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.”

The Yellowstone grizzly population rebounded from as few as 126 bears in 1975 to an estimated 700 today.

Grizzlies have been confirmed in places they have not been seen in for years, as they begin to move further into the Northern Rockies.

“This achievement stands as one of America’s great conservation successes; the culmination of decades of hard work and dedication on the part of the state, tribal, federal and private partners,” said U.S, Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke. “As a Montanan, I’m proud of what we’ve achieved together.”