Grizzly bears in Yellowstone not experiencing the best of times

There's a troubling trend within Yellowstone National Park: Too many grizzly bears are dying or being killed by hunters, and the animals are being forced to expand range in search of food.

You may recall that Yellowstone's 600 grizzlies were removed from the endangered species list in 2007. Last year, 71 grizzlies died. Of those, 48 were shot by hunters, including at least 20 that were killed by hunters acting in self-defense.

Biologists say the Yellowstone grizzly population remains strong, but they're concerned because beetles in the high country are killing whitebark pine trees, which drop seeds that bears use as a dietary staple. Plus, there are concerns global warming will lead to even fewer whitebark pines.

With a traditional food source harder to come by, some believe, the bears will become grumpier, and danger to humans will increase. "The prospect is that every year is going to be a bad food year because of what's happening to whitebark," Doug Honnold, an attorney for Earthjustice, told the Associated Press.

Earthjustice has sued the federal government in an attempt to have Yellowstone's grizzlies placed back on the endangered species list.

-- Pete Thomas

Photo: A grizzly at Yellowstone National Park. Credit: James Peaco / Associated Press

Comments

[jimmy mccoy]

hunters are morons! period,,!!!! these deliverance type jerks,, will kill or torture any poor defenseless little thing that can;t shoot back!! i think we need a national redneck hunting week to clear some of these cavemen back to the stoneage,!!! ha ha ha

[Josh]

I'm right there with you Steve. I've lived in Idaho for a very long time and will never understand the typical hunter mentality here. Of all the hunters I've had experience with only 1 actually hunts for food, and uses almost everything. Unfortunately, it boils down to education. Idaho hunters are typically highly uneducated. Wolves for example, keep deer and elk healthy - they are even good for the environment. However, all of the hunters here would rather hunt them into oblivion and eat sick meat. I also get extremely tired of picking up hunter garbage, or finding hunter primitive camps with animal parts all over the place.

[Steve Vinson]

To all readers: there are NO grizzly bears left in California (not for nearly 100 years).
Also, I moved two years ago to a city near Yellowstone from SoCal. The hunting culture here in Southeastern Idaho greatly concerns me. Wolves have now been de-listed and hunters are gearing up to shoot them back onto the protected list. I somewhat understand hunting deer and such for food but I don't understand why all these redneck hunters here are so excited about killing the wolves. It makes me sick.

[Devin]

I think the author is uninformed about the "Yellowstone" area. Those 600 grizzlies inhabit the Greater Yellowstone Region, an area which encompasses YNP, and parts of Idaho, Wyoming, and Montana. There is no hunting allowed in YNP and any grizzly kills by hunters takes place in areas outside of the park.

[Colorado]

John K., i understand your concern with them being a nuisance (which by the way isn't spelled right), but grizzlies were here before us and we are ruining and invading their territories so that if we keep going they sure aren't going to be here after us and guess what it is not fair to them.They have done nothing to deserve having all their space invaded, and it is only natural that they do not enjoy it.I don't mean to sound like snot but really it is our own fault.

[Jon K.]

Crash Burn,

Totally! It seems like everyone's swimming pool is filled with at least one Grizzly, if not two or three. They've become a public nucance.

[Crash Burn]

I can see why they are no longer endangered, its hard to go walk anywhere in California without tripping over a few Grizzlies since there are so many of them here.