Grizzlies Relisted Reaction

CODY, WYOMING - State and federal biologists met in Jackson last week, to discuss management of grizzlies in Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho. Yellowstone area grizzlies were put back on the endangered species list in September, after a federal judge overturned the 2007 delisting. Accused of killing a pony, a big male grizzly waited outside Cody's Game and Fish offices Friday for relocation. The 450 pound boar’s action will be documented as another area conflict. Conflicts were discussed in Jackson this week. Wyoming Game and Fish Bear Manager Mark Bruscino explained, “Bear managers, high level land management agency officials meet in a committee setting, which is called the Yellowstone Grizzly bear coordinating committee.” Members had worked for years to get grizzlies off the endangered species list. The topic of conversation this year? Bruscino says, “Of course the big point of discussion was Judge Malloy’s relisting ruling.” The federal judge agreed with the Greater Yellowstone Coalition’s argument that whitebark pine demise would put more grizzlies in human territory, and result in more conflicts. A Cody area radio ad says, “This is Curt Stedner with your local chapter for Sportsmen for Fish and Wildlife”. The conservative group decided to sponsor these radio ads, to help reduce conflicts and bear mortalities. The group's president says they hoped to keep grizzlies off the endangered species list. The ad ends with this admonition, “Remember, always hunt with a partner and carry and know how to use bear spray.” Bruscino added, “There’s a recent study that’s just coming out of Alaska that shows that people that have used firearms in self defense have a higher injury rate than people that have used bear spray.” Bruscino says many local hunters don’t believe in bear spray, and last year, Wyoming hunters helped contribute to a high bear mortality. But, this year, Bruscino says bear mortality numbers were much lower, and “And bears are still doing extremely well, the population is growing at 4% to 7% a year, and we feel that the population is safe and recovered.” Bruscino said there are probably more than 600 grizzlies in the Greater Yellowstone Area.