Grizzly Bears, Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, Northern Rockies

Grizzly bears in the lower-48 states were reduced to one percent of their historic range and one to two percent of their historic numbers due to persecution and habitat destruction associated with the march of human development.

The federal government is attempting to remove Endangered Species Act protection from Yellowstone-area grizzly bears. Earthjustice is pursuing several actions to block the delisting, to stop excessive roading and logging, and to increase protection for two isolated grizzly populations.

In November 2011, a federal appeals court upheld a lower-court ruling that reinstated Endangered Species Act protections for Yellowstone’s iconic grizzly bear population. The court agreed with Greater Yellowstone Coalition, represented by Earthjustice, that the government’s irrational response to the loss of a key food source due to climate change requires continued federal ESA protections for Yellowstone’s grizzlies.