Keep grizzly bears protected!
The federal government is currently deciding whether it will remove Endangered Species act protections for grizzly bears living in the Northern Continental Divide and the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystems. Yellowstone National Park's iconic wolves have already been slaughtered by trophy hunters—entire packs have even been wiped out—and Yellowstone, Grand Teton and Glacier national park grizzly bears could be next.
Thanks to their ESA protections, grizzly bears have slowly begun to recover their numbers. Yet with fewer than 2,000 individuals in the lower 48 states, it's critical that they retain these protections if they are to survive. If grizzly bears lose those protections, those three states will undoubtedly allow trophy hunting and the bears cannot survive the inevitable carnage.
We don't have a moment to lose if we want to save this iconic species from extinction.
Please take a moment to add your name in support of keeping grizzly bears protected under the Endangered Species Act.
Thanks to their ESA protections, grizzly bears have slowly begun to recover their numbers. Yet with fewer than 2,000 individuals in the lower 48 states, it's critical that they retain these protections if they are to survive. If grizzly bears lose those protections, those three states will undoubtedly allow trophy hunting and the bears cannot survive the inevitable carnage.
We don't have a moment to lose if we want to save this iconic species from extinction.
Please take a moment to add your name in support of keeping grizzly bears protected under the Endangered Species Act.
I support keeping grizzly bears living in the Northern Continental Divide and the Greater Yellowstone ecosystems protected under the Endangered Species Act.
Grizzly bears once ranged from northern Mexico to Alaska, but by the 1930s, grizzly bears had been nearly wiped out. The remaining ~135 bears were saved by the Endangered Species Act in 1975. With these protections, grizzly bears have slowly begun to recover their number, but with fewer than 2,000 individuals in the lower 48 states, it's critical that they retain their Endangered Species Act protections if they are to survive.
If grizzly bears lose ESA protections, states will undoubtedly allow trophy hunting. We know this because when the FWS delisted GYE bears in 2017, both Idaho and Wyoming rushed to set up trophy hunts, and grizzly bears simply cannot endure the inevitable carnage that would occur under these hunts.
In addition, surveys find that grizzly bear biologists and the American public don't support delisting grizzly bears. A 2018 study found that 74% of grizzly bear biologists surveyed do not believe that GYE grizzly bears are recovered. And a January 2022 Remington Research Group poll found 73% of Americans oppose the trophy hunting of grizzly bears.
Finally, grizzly bears have significant economic value. While trophy hunters are subsidized by us all, the travel tourism industry in Idaho, Montana and Wyoming is worth billions of dollars annually. Millions of visitor contributions were worth $4.4 billion to Montana in 2020, $4 billion to Wyoming in 2021, and $3.7 billion to Idaho in 2021. Wildlife tourists contribute significantly to local economies and fund jobs.
Grizzly bears have just started their slow recovery but are hampered by lethal humans, loss of habitat and corridors and the harms from the climate crisis. If we remove their Endangered Species protections now, we may lose them forever. Grizzly bears must remain protected under the Endangered Species Act.
Sign PetitionSign PetitionGrizzly bears once ranged from northern Mexico to Alaska, but by the 1930s, grizzly bears had been nearly wiped out. The remaining ~135 bears were saved by the Endangered Species Act in 1975. With these protections, grizzly bears have slowly begun to recover their number, but with fewer than 2,000 individuals in the lower 48 states, it's critical that they retain their Endangered Species Act protections if they are to survive.
If grizzly bears lose ESA protections, states will undoubtedly allow trophy hunting. We know this because when the FWS delisted GYE bears in 2017, both Idaho and Wyoming rushed to set up trophy hunts, and grizzly bears simply cannot endure the inevitable carnage that would occur under these hunts.
In addition, surveys find that grizzly bear biologists and the American public don't support delisting grizzly bears. A 2018 study found that 74% of grizzly bear biologists surveyed do not believe that GYE grizzly bears are recovered. And a January 2022 Remington Research Group poll found 73% of Americans oppose the trophy hunting of grizzly bears.
Finally, grizzly bears have significant economic value. While trophy hunters are subsidized by us all, the travel tourism industry in Idaho, Montana and Wyoming is worth billions of dollars annually. Millions of visitor contributions were worth $4.4 billion to Montana in 2020, $4 billion to Wyoming in 2021, and $3.7 billion to Idaho in 2021. Wildlife tourists contribute significantly to local economies and fund jobs.
Grizzly bears have just started their slow recovery but are hampered by lethal humans, loss of habitat and corridors and the harms from the climate crisis. If we remove their Endangered Species protections now, we may lose them forever. Grizzly bears must remain protected under the Endangered Species Act.
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