Endangered species.?

Question

Does anyone have an opinion about the delisting of grizzly bears within the Yellowstone ecosystem? Is the species truly recovered or is it maybe too early?

Answer 1

I think this is a decision made to quickly -- I don't think that the current administration has had the "best" people in place to understand or appreciate the scientific aspects of conservation.



Grizzlies (or brown bears) seem to be doing well in and around Yellowstone. The change in their status won't allow them to be hunted, but might reduce some of the funding available to study, support and protect them.



That they are at the top of the food chain would make you think that their numbers should be steady increasing once protected -- and they have for the most part. Yet within the last few years several grizzlies have been found dead within the park, with no obvious explanation for their death.



I'd like to see that issue resolved before we start messing around with the entire group's status.

Answer 2

I'm guessing you're trolling for a politically-motivated answer, or you would have posted this under biology... but if you want a serious answer.... From an ecosystem management standpoint it's a dillemma. Sometimes two endangered species are interdependent, i.e. lose one, lose both. I would imagine the best bet would be to try and preserve the prey species by establishing alternate habitats or try to propagate them and introduce them to the wild to boost their numbers. Sometimes an endangered predator species might be endangered because it's preferred prey is limiting it's development. Ecosystems are complex.

Answer 3

I think they have been taken off the endangered list but are still being protected. They would be gone if they hadn't gone on the endangered list in 1975. Yellowstone is one of the two largest population areas of grizzy bears.

Answer 4

It may be too early, same with Yellowstone wolves. If wolves venture outside of Yellowstone, they are allowed to be legally hunted :(

Answer 5

I don't know why anyone would kill a bear anyway. You can't eat them, and the world is getting too hot to wear fur anymore.