From the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS): "On November 15, 2005, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced 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 4 to 7 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. Currently, roughly 90 percent of females with cubs occupy the Primary Conservation Area (PCA) and about 10 percent of females with cubs have expanded out beyond PCA within the DPS. Grizzly bears now occupy 68 percent of suitable habitat within the proposed DPS and may soon occupy the remainder of the suitable habitat within the proposed DPS." The Federal Register notice is scheduled to be published on November 17.
The Department of Interior homepage links to today's press release on delisting grizzly bears in Yellowstone. More information on the Yellowstone DPS is available on the Mountain-Prairie Region FWS website. The Yellowstone DPS site also includes links to fact sheets, management and recovery plans, and other recovery areas. The species profile page for Grizzly bears may also prove helpful.
Source: "Feds to propose delisting grizzly." Billings Gazette November 11, 2005.
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