Interior drops plan for grizzly bears in Montana, Idaho
© 2001 Reuters
June 22, 2001
WASHINGTON - The Bush administration has withdrawn a Clinton-era plan to reintroduce 25 grizzly bears into Montana and Idaho, dealing a blow to environmental groups who said yesterday that further wildlife recovery efforts may be in danger.
Grizzlies, while still plentiful in Alaska and Canada, have dwindled in the lower 48 states from an estimated 50,000 at their peak about 300 years ago to just 1,100 today. About half the bears live in or near Yellowstone National Park.
Interior Secretary Gale Norton said the government would make other attempts to restore the grizzly bear population in the lower 48 states and remove the bear from the Endangered Species List.
Norton's decision on Wednesday was a victory for Idaho Governor Dirk Kempthorne, who sued to stop the grizzly bear reintroduction two days before President George W. Bush took office in January. Kempthorne said he was concerned the bears could pose a danger to local residents.
"Building support from state leaders is an important element to any potential partnership of this size and scope," Norton said in a statement. "I am committed to ensuring the support of the states, local communities, and all interested stakeholders as we move forward with our grizzly bear recovery efforts."
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, a division of the Interior Department, spends $450,000 a year to restore the grizzly bear.
Norton's decision was criticized by environmental groups which questioned the Bush administration's interest in working with local citizens to restore other endangered wildlife.
"Her decision not only deals a severe blow to grizzly bear recovery, but sends a chilling message for other wildlife recovery efforts across the country," said Jamie Rappaport Clark, a vice president for the National Wildlife Federation.
Male grizzly bears, which typically stand about seven feet tall, need up to 500 square miles to forage for food.