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Cover: Brian A Smith/Shutterstock.com
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Should We Protect Grizzlies?
Yellowstone's grizzly bears are protected by the endangered species list—for now.
As You Read: Why did the grizzly population drop in the 1800s?
Brian A Smith/Shutterstock.com
Yellowstone National Park is known for its natural wonders, like its geyser Old Faithful. It’s also at the center of a battle to save one of its most famous residents: the grizzly bear.
Grizzlies were first named as an endangered species in 1975. That means they are protected from hunters and land developers who might destroy their homes.
The question now is whether the grizzles still need protection. People disagree on the answer.
Yellowstone National Park is known for its natural wonders. One is a geyser, or hot spring, called Old Faithful. The park is also at the center of a battle to save one of its most famous residents: the grizzly bear.
The question now is whether the grizzlies still need protection. People disagree on the answer.
This map shows past and current habitats of grizzly bears.
Jim McMahon/Mapman®
Based on the map, about how many grizzlies live in the Western U.S.?
Nearly Gone
As many as 50,000 grizzlies once roamed the Western U.S. They’ve always played an important role in the ecosystem. For example, they keep the numbers of other animals, like elk, from getting out of control.
But in the 1800s, settlers began building houses and farms on the land where the grizzlies lived. This destroyed much of the bears’ habitat. Ranchers also shot the bears to protect cattle, and hunters killed the bears for sport.
The grizzly population dwindled. By the 1970s, there were fewer than 140 grizzlies in the Yellowstone area.
As many as 50,000 grizzlies once roamed the Western U.S. They’ve always played an important role in the ecosystem. For example, they keep the numbers of other animals, like elk, in control.
But in the 1800s, settlers began building houses and farms on the land where the grizzlies lived. This destroyed much of the bears’ habitat. Ranchers also shot the bears to protect cattle. Hunters killed the bears for sport.
Bouncing Back
To save the bears, the U.S. government added them to the endangered species list in 1975. The list is part of the Endangered Species Act (ESA), which protects animals at risk of becoming extinct.
The ESA makes it illegal to kill or harm endangered animals. With the ESA’s protection, the Yellowstone grizzly population bounced back to about 700.
In 2007, the government removed grizzlies from the endangered species list. The government considers the bears a conservation success story. Its goal isn’t to keep an animal on the list forever. The government aims to help a species recover until it no longer needs protection.
In 1975, the U.S. government acted to save the bears. It added the bears to the endangered species list. The list is part of the Endangered Species Act (ESA). This law protects animals at risk of dying out.
The ESA makes it illegal to kill or harm endangered animals. With the law’s protection, the Yellowstone grizzly population has bounced back. Yellowstone is now home to about 700 grizzlies.
In 2007, the government removed grizzlies from the endangered species list. The government considers the bears a conservation success story. Its goal isn’t to keep an animal on the list forever. The government aims to help a species recover. Then the animal no longer needs protection.
Out of the Woods
For more than a decade, conservation groups have been fighting that decision.
This past July, a court ruled to keep Yellowstone’s grizzlies on the endangered species list. That means they are protected in and around the national park. But the bears can be legally hunted if they wander out of the area.
The fight is far from over. Experts on both sides of the argument will keep an eye on the bears in the years ahead.
This past July, a court ruled in their favor. Yellowstone’s grizzlies will stay endangered. That means they are protected inside the national park. But the bears can be legally hunted if they wander out of the area.
The U.S. government created a list to help save animals from dying out, or becoming extinct. Animals that are on the government’s list get special protection from hunters and from others who might disturb their habitat. Not all grizzly bears are on the list—but the ones in Yellowstone National Park are.
1. How do grizzly bears play an important role in the ecosystem?
2. Why did the grizzly bear population begin to decrease in the 1800s?
3. What is the debate over grizzly bears?