The Endangered Species Act has protected Yellowstone's grizzly bears for thirty years. Now, the Bush administration has proposed removing them from federal protection. Since first being listed as "threatened" under the Endangered Species Act 30 years ago, restoring grizzly bear numbers to their current levels has taken tremendous public investment.
Removing federal protections for the bear right now is far too risky.
If Yellowstone's grizzly bears are taken off the Endangered Species List:
- Grizzly bear range would be restricted.
- One-third of their habitat would be open to oil and gas development, and
logging.
- The population could decline under state management.
- Management costs would increase by 1.4 million and no one knows where
this money would come from.
The Yellowstone grizzly bear is an irreplaceable part of Americas natural heritage. Given the hard work the American people have invested in
restoring the grizzly, why gamble with the future of Yellowstone's bears by
pulling out now?
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is only taking public comments until March 20, 2006. Sign the petition below to help keep the grizzly bear on the
Endangered Species List! Dear Mr. Servheen,
Don't delist the grizzly. The Yellowstone grizzly bear is an irreplaceable part of America's natural heritage, a symbol of the independence that defines the American character and an icon of all that is wild and free. Since it was first listed as "threatened" under the Endangered Species Act in 1975, the grizzly bear has made a strong recovery, but there is still more work to be done.
Given the hard work the American people have invested in restoring the grizzly over the last 30 years, there must be an insurance plan to make sure the success we've begun to see endures. The Endangered Species Act can be that safety net, and we the undersigned urge you to keep these important protections in place for the Yellowstone grizzly bear.
[your personal comment here]
Sincerely,
[your name]
[your address]
