reintroducing grizzly bears to oregon
Fish and Wildlife Service prepared a plan in 2000 that called for rebuilding the Selway-Bitterroot's grizzly . The North Cascades is one of six areas where the federal government is looking to restore the grizzlies. Can we do this in every state? The National Park Service and U.S. If we bring grizzlies they aren't going to put them in the coast range. Were pleasantly surprised theyre reconsidering augmenting the population. By Tuesday, however, that number had jumped to about 110,000, she said. KTAR.com. By March 10 - four days before the end of the comments period - the agencies had received an estimated 6,500 comments, a Fish and Wildlife spokeswoman in Washington said. Grizzly bears are not in danger of extinction, and Interior will continue to build on its conservation successes managing healthy grizzly bear populations across their existing range., This announcement is welcomed by my constituents in Central Washington who have consistently shared my same concerns about introducing an apex predator into the North Cascades,said U.S. Representative Dan Newhouse (WA-04). Scientists at Oregon State University are using satellite mapping to track insect damage on Northwest forests. goal of removing them from the endangered species list, halted the previous reintroduction effort, most productive grizzly bear habitat in the world. These bears will not recover in the North Cascades on their own as the area is far too isolated from existing populations. We focus on the need for large carnivores and protected wildways for their movement; and we offer a bold, scientifically credible, practically achievable, and hopeful vision for the future of wild Nature and human civilization on planet Earth. The last verifiable sighting of a grizzly on the U.S. side of the North Cascades was in 1996, though people occasionally still spot them in British Columbias Cascade Mountains. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. process to reintroduce grizzlies to North Cascades National Park. "I might need to do some course correcting.". Minimize the use of motorized vehicles in wild areas; machines should be used only as much as is necessary to achieve recovery goals. In a news release on Thursday, he criticized the decision to restart it and urged the Biden administration to consider local input. Why not SF too? We support the recovery of large carnivores and other strongly interactive species, including Grizzly Bears, wherever possible in their native ranges. The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge Is So Big, Even the Grizzlies Seem Small, The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: How 7 Popular Trails Have Changed. The Department of the Interior halted the previous reintroduction effortin 2020 under the Trump administration. If they happen to take out most people in those areas, so be it. Historically, the CA griz inhabited the whole state. According to a USFWS fact sheet, that designation would list the new population of grizzly bears as threatened and would give land managers wider latitude by relaxing certain rules designed to protect them. If we could concentrate the bears in LA and SF I think this would be great for conservation of the grizz! As a result, laws prohibiting the hunting of otters were put in place in 1911. According to the recovery goals established in the USFWS' Grizzly Bear Recovery Plan, the grizzly populations in the Greater Yellowstone and Northern Continental Divide Ecosystems are both fully recovered. I would personally put money, time, and physical effort to help make this happen. The National Park Service is evaluating once again how grizzly bears could be reintroduced to North Cascades National Park. Swarovski ATC Compact Spotting Scope Review, Helping Mule Deer Thrive: Muley Fanatic Foundation, Growing Big Mule Deer with Wildlife Prof Randy Larsen. Wildlife officials and advocates should undertake active Grizzly Bear reintroduction with utmost compassion for the individual animals involved, and great respect for the laws of the land in the United Statesand also in Canada, if bears are to be sourced there. 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The National Park Service and U.S. All rights reserved (About Us). Terry Tollefsbol/USFWS The National. The agencies would aim to establish an initial population of 25 bears. Nobody has seen a grizzly bear in Washington since 1996, but that could change soon. Please keep your comments respectful and relevant. This is a first step toward bringing balance back to the ecosystem and restoring a piece of the Pacific Northwests natural and cultural heritage, said Superintendent Don Striker of North Cascades National Park. The agency outlined a preliminary plan to create an experimental population by adding three to seven captured grizzly bears to the North Cascades for five to 10 years, with a goal of building an initial population up to about 25 bears. 1,798. A place where we can raise grizzlies to maturity while teaching them enjoy eating things like soy, tofu, and smoothies. North Cascades National Park has renewed efforts to evaluate how grizzly bears could be reintroduced to the park, restarting the effort that began in 2014 under the Obama administration. I see them as dogs. The way they move, and the way they sun themselves and lay there, they move like a house cat. In the case of the North Cascades and its once and future Grizzly Bear population, this means the National Park Service, US Fish & Wildlife Service, and other partners in Grizzly recovery should take these important steps: The Rewilding Institute urges all conservation groups who are weighing in on Grizzly Bear recovery in the North Cascades to talk directly with each other and try to find common ground that restores Grizzlies while also upholding Wilderness values. Subscribe | Support, The Wisdom of Bears and the Perfidy of Bureaucracy, Government Agents Kill Endangered Mexican Gray Wolf Father, Threatening Packs Survival, Expansion and Restoration of Bison to Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. Environmentalists, for example, may view the return of grizzly bears as a crucial step in restoring the balance of the state's natural environment, while farmers and other rural residents may view the animals as a potential threat to their livelihoods . From The Rewilding Institute supports the active reintroduction of Grizzly Bears to the North Cascades Ecosystem (NCE). Dear USFWS Director Sheehan and NPS Deputy Director Smith. khouse@oregonian.com 503-221-8178 @Kelly_M_House. Grizzly bears roamed across the North Cascades for thousands of years before humans hunted them to near-extinction. A study published this week describes the work, which OPB's Cassandra Profita calls "an atlas of insect-caused tree mortality." Grizzly bears play an important ecological and cultural role in the North Cascades. I might need to change my vote, depending on the method of "reintroduction." Or maybe I should write a screenplay Reintroduce bears to eat liberals? Photo: Bryant Aardema -bryants wildlife images / Moment via Getty, The National Park Service and US Fish and Wildlife Service. The only problem with this plan is that it would really mean introducing bears to the only parts of CA that don't suckthe rural areas where people are generally not insane. Bear numbers in Washington dwindled due to hunting in the late 1800s, landing the grizzly on the endangered species list 40 years ago. Ransom said that a few bears might be wandering the woods but that there arent enough to be considered a viable population and that theres little chance bears from other regions could travel far enough to jump-start populations. Grizzlies in the Western Valleys Fish & Wildlife Service announced Thursday they would look at options to bring back the big brown bears. But with science, education and a little human tolerance it can be one of the greatest conservation success stories of ours and future generations.. Federal agencies started a public planning process to reintroduce the bears in 2015, but it was suspended in 2017 by Ryan Zinke, then the secretary of the interior during the Trump administration. In the face of Euro-American settlement, Oregon grizzlies seemed to retreat fairly steadily in the mid- to late-1800s to three redoubts: the Klamath Mountains (including the Siskiyous), the Southern Cascades, and the Blue/Wallowa Mountains (including Hells Canyon country). Research is underway to see what grizzly bears might eat if they were reintroduced to California. The bears would be captured and transported from interior British Columbia or Northwest Montana, according to a notice about the proposal. Can you tell myth from fact? Soon, grizzly bears, mountain lions, and other wildlife were seen perusing the valleys, and stream health markedly improved." Eliminating the "Missing Link" Another point that frequently gets brought up in favor of wolf reintroduction is the idea that reintroducing wolves will eliminate a "missing link" in the range of the gray wolf species. A bear catches a meal in Alaska's Katmai National Park and Preserve. Wildlife Preservation Canada 5420 Highway 6 North Guelph, ON N1H 6J2 1-800-956-6608 1-519-836-9314 admin@wildlifepreservation.ca Specifically, I support Alternative C: Incremental Restoration. The North Cascades are one of six USFWS-designated grizzly bear recovery zones in the U.S., spanning 9,000 square miles of mostly federal land. Fish & Wildlife Service announced Thursday they have restarted the on-again, off-again process to reintroduce grizzlies to North Cascades National Park. The National Park Service and U.S. Sulphur Creek is used as an irrigation return by the Sunnyside Valley Irrigation District. A grizzly bear and cub in Yellowstone National Park. Black bears Territory, population: About 25,000 to 30,000 native black bears live in Oregon. Kate McFarland, TRI Deputy Director Privacy Policy | Terms of Use, A grizzly bear and her cubs in Yellowstone National Park. KTVZ-TV FCC Public File | FCC Applications |, Breaking News Now, theNorth Cascades Ecosystem Grizzly Bear Environmental Impact Statement process is back on. The North Cascades are among the largest wild areas in the contiguous 48 states, encompassing close to 10,000 square miles. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Once we have an "army" of these bears built up, we air drop them into heavily populated areas of CA and let them work their magic. KTVZ NewsChannel 21 is committed to providing a forum for civil and constructive conversation. The lawsuit continues. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The plan has been hailed by Tribal leaders, conservation groups and other wildlife advocates. 2 dead, 1 critically wounded in shooting at Cal Anderson Park in Seattle, Think Seattle-area property taxes are rising fast? For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. In a letter to the president and the Environmental Protection Agency,they called for increased restrictions on neonicotinoids, a type of pesticide that has been cited as a potential cause to colony collapse disorder. Republican Rep. Dan Newhouse released a statement in response to the environmental impact statement, inviting the public to get involved with the process and submit comments. The argument about there not being enough of them to hunt would certainly change to some other argument as why they should never be hunted. of Fish and Wildlife, is to take bears either from British Columbia or northwest Montana and introduce them into the Northern Cascades at the rate of 3 to 7 bears per year. As with anything involving predators in the West, this is a controversial topic. Create a personalized feed and bookmark your favorites. Bernhardt says grizzly bears are not in danger of extinction, and the Department of the Interior will focus on managing healthy grizzly bear populations across their existing range. This is a first step toward bringing balance back to the ecosystem and restoring a piece of the Pacific Northwests natural and cultural heritage, North Cascades National Park Superintendent Don Striker said in a news release. The public largely supports reintroduction of this native species, as the bears are an integral part of healthy forest and mountain habitats in the Cascades, as well as an important part of regional Native American and First Nations cultures, dating back hundreds of years. Many of the scientists named in the letter also have been involved in efforts to retain federal protections for threatened grizzly bears in Western states and gray wolves across most of the nation. You are using an out of date browser. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. In addition to their importance in regulating prey populations and dispersing seeds from fleshy fruit, they hold great significance in the cultural traditions of Native American communities in the North Cascades and First Nations communities in British Columbia. Their presence is also an important indicator of a healthy ecosystem, as the clean water and level of biodiversity necessary to support their needs also supports a variety of other wildlife. ", Inman is the man behind the super-popular comic website The Oatmeal, which features graphic, whimsical and surprisingly edifying posts on topics ranging from the coolness of mantis shrimps to correct usage of the word "literally." According to the NPS, the new process will restart from the beginning rather than picking up where the last one left off. During previous planning efforts, the National Cattlemens Beef Association and other ranching groups have opposed reintroduction. (NWF responded by arranging for him to meet and spoon-feed peanut butter to two grizzly bears at the Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle, where he lives, and presenting him with a plaque honoring him as "Champion of Bears."). Virtual public meetings are scheduled for Nov. 15, 18, Dec. 1, 2. several virtual meetings to discuss the proposal. The grizzly is also an important part of regional Native American and First Nations' cultures, dating back hundreds of years. An estimated 60,000 grizzly bears inhabit North America, half of them in Alaska. The bears were a critical part of the ecosystem, turning soil as they dug for roots, eating berries and distributing the seeds in their scat, and keeping small animal populations in check. And on Friday, Inman published a post titled "I need 50,000 comments on a government website.". By OLIVIA HOBSON. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) identified six recovery systems for grizzly bears across the contiguous 48 states, including the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem, the Cabinet-Yaak Ecosystem, the Selkirk Ecosystem, the North Cascades Ecosystem, and the Bitterroot Ecosystem. But in the past 10 years, there have been four confirmed grizzly sightings in the North Cascades, all across the Canadian border, the court filings say. It's no Bellingham, WA lawmakers deadlocked as drugs ravage Snohomish County, rest of state, Woman shot in West Seattle, hours after 2 killed on Capitol Hill, Oregon tells a cautionary tale about drugs, but we're not listening, squelched by Interior, under the Trump administration, in 2020, North Cascades Ecosystem Grizzly Bear Environmental Impact Statement, nonessential experimental population designation. Is JP Morgan's purchase of failed bank from FDIC a government bailout? Local and national environmental groups have praised the decision. A file photo of a two-month-old Grizzly bear named Hutch at the Ultimate Sport Show at DeVos Place in Grand Rapids, Mich. (AP Photo/The Grand Rapids Press, Chris Clark). Grizzlies roamed the North Cascades for thousands of years until the 1800s, when trapping and hunting reduced their numbers below viable levels; according to the NPS, most of the bear population was destroyed by the 1860s. Is the Return of the Wolf, Wolverine, and Grizzly Bear to Oregon and California Biologically Feasible? Urge Congress to Support It. Once we have an "army" of these bears built up, we air drop them into heavily populated areas of CA and let them work their magic. The public overwhelmingly supports reintroduction of this native species, as the bears are an integral part of healthy forest and mountain habitats in the Cascades. ", Inman's parents live at the edge of the North Cascades, where he said he hikes and runs fairly often - which, yes, means he's advocating to share his recreational space with those predators. With the publics help we will evaluate a list of options to determine the best path forward.. The environmental group Conservation Northwest says it is disappointed in the decision. The National Park Service and U.S. Threatened grizzly bears could roam again in the wildest reaches of Washington state. In 2014, under the Obama administration, federal officials announced a grizzly recovery study. Heading out the door? Bear numbers in Washington dwindled due to hunting in the late 1800s, landing the grizzly on the endangered species list 40 years ago. A copy of the notice of terminationcan be foundhereand will be published in theFederal Register. He said reintroducing the bears would be a threat to families, wildlife and livestock. Now that the comments period has been extended to April 28, he's have time for more pro-bear comics. It wasnt a lack of food or other resources. Federal plan would reintroduce grizzly bears to Washingtons Cascade mountains, By Lawrence Wilson | The Center Square contributor, What it Costs to Retire Comfortably in Washington, How Gas Taxes in Washington Compare to Other States, How Much Washington Taxes Its Residents Compared to Other States, How Much Home You Can Buy for $200k in Washington, Treasury gives Congress dire June 1 deadline on debt ceiling, Three years after pandemic began, Biden will lift federal vaccination mandates, Biden touts record, small businesses fire back. An environmental impact statement will explore how the bears could be reintroduced with the eventual goal of removing them from the endangered species list, according to the National Park. We are advancing Smart from the Start principles to minimize the impacts of renewable energy development on sensitive species like birds and bats. Your instinct is you want to pet them and play with them, but you can't. At one point, they occupied less than two percent of their historic range, but due to significant recovery efforts there are now populations in Idaho, Montana, Washington, and Wyoming. The Associated Press reports responders have deployed absorbent pads and protective booms. The Trump Administration is committed to being a good neighbor, and the people who live and work in north central Washington have made their voices clear that they do not want grizzly bears reintroduced into the North Cascades. It will take decades to do so and were confident that grizzly bears will thrive here just as they do in other wild places and parks, which have served as a model for the rest of the world.. And an estimated 50,000 in the contiguous United States around the time of the Lewis and Clark expedition in 1804. The North Cascades is one of the largest wilderness areas in the Lower 48. The Upper Skagit people coexisted with grizzly bears in the region for nearly 10,000 years pre-contact,Scott Schuyler, policy representative for the Upper Skagit Tribe, said in a statement. I am writing to share my strong support for grizzly bear restoration in the North Cascades. When Inman launched a campaign to defend himself against a defamation lawsuit in 2012, he raised $220,000 and donated it to the National Wildlife Federation and the American Cancer Society. ET): A previous version of this article misstatedone of the services helping to reintroduce grizzly bears. "This is frustrating . The wolves have kept the park's population of elks . / Carlos Carroll, Reed F. Noss and Nathan H. Schumaker / [et al.]. More information about the Departments efforts toimprove thestatus of grizzly bears in the lower 48 U.S. states can be foundonline. A place where we can raise grizzlies to maturity while teaching them enjoy eating things like soy, tofu, and smoothies. The U.S. Representative Newhouse has been a tireless advocate for his community and his constituents regarding plans to reintroduce grizzly bears into the North Cascades Ecosystem,said Secretary Bernhardt. Wolves and Wolverines, amazingly, have recolonized the North Cascades after being extirpated by people, and Fishers were recently reintroduced to the NCE. More information on public involvement and the planning process is available online. It is vital that we demonstrate our support for the recovery of this ecologically and culturally significant species. It may not display this or other websites correctly. With the publics help, we will evaluate a list of options to determine the best path forward.. Members get 15+ publications right in your pocket. They're like a cute, 800-pound, apex predator dog. What we need is a grizzly nursery. But he said he's since learned more about grizzlies, which haven't been spotted in the U.S. portion of the North Cascades ecosystem since 1996. The two agencies began researching the possibility of reintroducing grizzlies in 2015; in 2020, however, the Trump Interior Department terminated the process without offering a public explanation, sparking a lawsuit from the Center for Biological Diversity. The previous federal efforts to restore bears in the North Cascades drew about 143,000 public comments combined, Ransom said. IE 11 is not supported. Additionally, many grizzly bear advocates viewed a population in the Bitterroots as the best way to connect the genetically isolated populations in Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks. The Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE) has been the primary focus of grizzly recovery efforts to date. The department hired an environmental cleanup company to use vacuum trucks on remaining oil. The public will have four opportunities to participate and comment on the process at virtual public meetings on Nov. 14, Nov. 18, Dec. 1 and Dec. 2. Grizzly bears were added to the list of threatened species in the lower 48 states in 1975 and have been listed as an endangered species in Washington since 1980. Under the proposal, the National Park Service and Fish and Wildlife would capture bears from either British Columbia or the Northern Continental Divide of the U.S. About three to seven would be released in the North Cascades each year, over the course of about five to 10 years. We favor minimizing disturbance to and intervention in the Wilderness and conserving and restoring its whole native biota. Please add you voice and speak up for grizzly recovery efforts in the North Cascades. Fish and Wildlife Service released a document in January describing four ideas for reintroducing grizzly bears to the North Cascades region in Washington. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. It's estimated there are currently less than 20 grizzlies in the state, though a female was fitted with a radio collar and released last year, along with her three cubs, according to the Washington DFW. Within a century, the agencies would aim to have a population of about 200 bears. 6 The caves also show a number of scratch marks thought to have been made by the claws of bears. This is a first step toward bringing balance back to the ecosystem and restoring a piece of the Pacific Northwests natural and cultural heritage, North Cascades Superintendent Don Striker said in a news release. Get access to more than 30 brands, premium video, exclusive content, events, mapping, and more. It does make for a very long road again to start from scratch, pretty much.. One of his first-ever comics was titled "Things Bears Love." Defenders is contributing to the effort to reintroduce fishers and grizzly bears to the North Cascades. Download the app. PHOENIX - An Arizona conservation group wants the federal government to consider reintroducing grizzly bears into the state. North Cascades National Park has renewed efforts to evaluate how grizzly bears could be reintroduced to the park, restarting the effort that began in 2014 under the Obama administration. Dukas/Universal Images Group via Getty Images file. U.S. Secretary of the Interior David L. Bernhardt told a meeting. I think they're funny," Inman said of bears. Get to know the winter safety gear you need in your pack. 2. See our instructions at the bottom of this page on how to make your voice heard. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. You can review our Community Guidelines by clicking here. Ransom said restoring grizzlieswould enhance biodiversity and could make the ecosystem more resilient to future changes. In rural Washington, some opponents of the grizzly bear reintroduction program include ranchers, who worry the predator will pose a threat to their livestock.