Post by Woody Williams on Jan 15, 2006 9:10:04 GMT -5
SCI Speaks Out on Yellowstone Grizzly Management
WASHINGTON D.C., Jan. 13, 2006 – On Jan. 10 in Cody, Wyoming, SCI acted as the voice of all hunters and for sound wildlife management in one of the United States’ greatest national parks by testifying at the first public meeting for the proposed delisting of the Yellowstone grizzly bear population. SCI Assistant Legal Counsel Doug Burdin was on hand at the meeting, which was lead by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS), to represent SCI, which supports Yellowstone grizzly delisting.
“SCI believes that delisting the Yellowstone grizzly bear is appropriate,” said Mike Simpson, SCI President, “because it recognizes the recovery of a once threatened species and acknowledges hunting as a method of sustainable use conservation.”
In a November 15, 2005 announcement, the USFWS stated that, “the Yellowstone Distinct Population Segment (DPS) is a recovered population no longer meeting the ESA’s definition of threatened or endangered. This DPS has increased from estimates as low as 136 individuals when listed in 1975 to more than 580 animals as of 2004. This population has been increasing since the mid 1990s and is increasing at four to seven percent per year. The range of this population also has increased dramatically as evidenced by the 48 percent increase in occupied habitat since the 1970s. Yellowstone grizzly bears continue to increase their range and distribution annually and grizzly bears in the Yellowstone area now occupy habitats they have been absent from for decades.”
SCI supports the USFWS proposal to designate the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem Population of Grizzly Bears as a DPS and delist that population segment. This population is genetically and physically distinct from other populations due to genetic and behavioral traits as well as natural and manmade geographic barriers.
SCI also supports the use of regulated hunting by states as a grizzly management tool. Idaho, Montana and Wyoming each designate grizzly bears as a game species and expect to use hunting to help reduce unwanted human-grizzly interactions and to better manage the population.
The USFWS is still accepting public comments on Yellowstone grizzly delisting until Feb. 15, 2006. SCI encourages sportsmen and –women interested in submitting comments to do so by writing to Grizzly Bear Recovery Coordinator; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; University Hall 309, University of Montana; Missoula, Montana; 59812. Comments also can be sent via e-mail to FW6_grizzly_yellowstone@fws.gov.
For more about Yellowstone’s grizzlies, go online to www.yellowstone.net/wildlife/grizzly.htm. Information about grizzly recovery can be found at mountain-prairie.fws.gov/species/mammals/grizzly/yellowstone.htm .
WASHINGTON D.C., Jan. 13, 2006 – On Jan. 10 in Cody, Wyoming, SCI acted as the voice of all hunters and for sound wildlife management in one of the United States’ greatest national parks by testifying at the first public meeting for the proposed delisting of the Yellowstone grizzly bear population. SCI Assistant Legal Counsel Doug Burdin was on hand at the meeting, which was lead by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS), to represent SCI, which supports Yellowstone grizzly delisting.
“SCI believes that delisting the Yellowstone grizzly bear is appropriate,” said Mike Simpson, SCI President, “because it recognizes the recovery of a once threatened species and acknowledges hunting as a method of sustainable use conservation.”
In a November 15, 2005 announcement, the USFWS stated that, “the Yellowstone Distinct Population Segment (DPS) is a recovered population no longer meeting the ESA’s definition of threatened or endangered. This DPS has increased from estimates as low as 136 individuals when listed in 1975 to more than 580 animals as of 2004. This population has been increasing since the mid 1990s and is increasing at four to seven percent per year. The range of this population also has increased dramatically as evidenced by the 48 percent increase in occupied habitat since the 1970s. Yellowstone grizzly bears continue to increase their range and distribution annually and grizzly bears in the Yellowstone area now occupy habitats they have been absent from for decades.”
SCI supports the USFWS proposal to designate the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem Population of Grizzly Bears as a DPS and delist that population segment. This population is genetically and physically distinct from other populations due to genetic and behavioral traits as well as natural and manmade geographic barriers.
SCI also supports the use of regulated hunting by states as a grizzly management tool. Idaho, Montana and Wyoming each designate grizzly bears as a game species and expect to use hunting to help reduce unwanted human-grizzly interactions and to better manage the population.
The USFWS is still accepting public comments on Yellowstone grizzly delisting until Feb. 15, 2006. SCI encourages sportsmen and –women interested in submitting comments to do so by writing to Grizzly Bear Recovery Coordinator; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; University Hall 309, University of Montana; Missoula, Montana; 59812. Comments also can be sent via e-mail to FW6_grizzly_yellowstone@fws.gov.
For more about Yellowstone’s grizzlies, go online to www.yellowstone.net/wildlife/grizzly.htm. Information about grizzly recovery can be found at mountain-prairie.fws.gov/species/mammals/grizzly/yellowstone.htm .