Senator Steve Daines made a compelling case today at a Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing for the delisting of grizzly bears in the Greater Yellowstone and Northern Continental Divide Ecosystems. He highlighted the discrepancy between the robust grizzly populations and the prolonged delay in their delisting review by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS).
During the hearing, Shannon Estenoz, the current Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks, who is also President Biden’s nominee for Department of the Interior (DOI) Deputy Secretary, concurred that the grizzly bear populations in these ecosystems have indeed met recovery targets.
This affirmation follows Daines’ previous inquiries in May to DOI Secretary Deb Haaland, where he pressed for clarity on the status of grizzly bears. At that time, Secretary Haaland expressed uncertainty regarding the recovery targets set by the USFWS and the current population numbers. Despite the grizzly bear populations exceeding these recovery targets, Haaland refrained from confirming their recovery status.
Senator Daines emphasized that the delay in delisting undermines the conservation efforts and management of these populations, which have significantly rebounded from endangered status. He stressed the importance of aligning conservation policies with scientific data and ensuring that the management decisions reflect the successful recovery efforts.
The debate over grizzly bear delisting in these ecosystems continues to be a focal point of wildlife management discussions, balancing conservation goals with state and federal regulations.
Watch Senator Daines’ Remarks HERE.
By: DNU staff