What does removal of Endangered Species Act protection mean for grizzly bears?
It means that instead of being protected by federal law from human activity, they will be managed by individual states according to state law – except in national parks, where the National Park Service has control. Management by the states will, however, be based on grizzly death limits agreed to with the federal government. Can people shoot grizzly bears that are threatening livestock after delisting? No. Because Wyoming, Montana and Idaho all classify grizzlies in the greater Yellowstone area as game animals, state laws limit the ability of citizens to shoot or injure grizzlies. All violations of state law will be subject to state enforcement, just as they would for any other game species (elk, black bear, cougar). Will there be a hunting season for grizzly bears? Wyoming and Montana plan to conduct limited hunting of grizzly bears. The Wyoming Game and Fish Department anticipates offering fewer than 10 licenses each year based on current bear populations. A resident grizzly licenses
