BILLINGS — Grizzly bears are no longer considered "endangered," according to World Wildlife. This means they are now eligible for delisting, which would move management of the animal's population from the federal government to the state.
A decision by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Services to delist grizzly bears could occur as early as January 2025.
For most Montana ranchers, delisted grizzly bears would allow them to better defend their property and livestock against the predators.
"We have grizzlies coming and going all the time. I have yet to see one in January or February, but those are the only two months I have never seen (one)," said Trina Jo Bradley, a northern Montana rancher.
Bradley cannot recall many positive experiences she's had with grizzlies.
She's a rancher from Valier and works as the executive director of Rocky Mountain Front Ranchlands Group (RMFRG).
The RMFRG, along with the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem and Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, have weighed in on the decision to delist the bears, if they are removed from protections under the Endangered Species Act.
"It's absolutely time that we delist grizzly bears. But, it's not just taking them off the list that's important, it's the fact that grizzly bears will now be managed by Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks," says Bradley.
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Services have received petitions to delist grizzlies from parties in both Montana and Wyoming.
"We had a young female grizzly that was comfortable around human settings and walked through our yard," said Karli Johnson, a sixth-generation Montana rancher.
After regularly encountering grizzlies, Johnson supports delisting so she can defend her property, family and livestock from them.
"From my perspective, it really feels like a long time coming," she said.
Delisting grizzlies would allow the state of Montana to make decisions about how to manage the animals. As MTN previously reported, many wildlife advocates fear for the safety of the bears if this were to happen.
There are now an estimated 2,200 grizzlies in the lower 48 states, with a majority in Wyoming and Montana.
Johnson says it's time to give the power back to the state.
"Really, what that gives us is additional management tools for those bears, that I talked about, that sometimes have bad behavior," she said.
These management tools would help farmers and ranchers do the necessary work.
"I'd really like for the general public to understand that not only are we raising your food, we're also providing a habitat for all of the state's wildlife," Bradley said.
