Excellent post. The attrition of open space, wildlife, and natural ecosystems occurs slowly and quietly. Without vigilance and unrelenting effort, the attrition is unstoppable. Always, the urge to obtain immediate convenience or profit obscures the potential long-term consequences of our actions. Learning to take the long-term view is essential for managers of natural systems.
The grizzly bears that inhabit the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem have played an important role in one of the nation’s greatest endangered species success stories. Since 1975, the bears have been beneficiaries of the Endangered Species Act that enabled the grizzly population to beat all odds after teetering on the brink of extinction. It grew from 136 bears in 1975 to around 700 in 2016, although estimates range from 674 to 839.
On March 3, 2016, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service announced its proposal to delist the Yellowstone area grizzlies, which includes Grizzly 399, from the federal threatened species list. It is expected to make a final decision by the end of 2016.
The Numbers
50,000
The number of grizzly bears that roamed between the Pacific Ocean and the Great Plains during Lewis and Clark Expedition, 200 years ago.
674-839
The approximate number of grizzly bears in…
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GarryRogers Nature Conservation 