yellowstone-area grizzly bear removal

NEWS RELEASE

                        U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE
                            Mountain-Prairie Region
                              134 Union Boulevard
                           Lakewood, Colorado 80228

      05-90

      Sharon Rose 303-236-4580 (available 12/29 and after 1/2/06)
      Barb Perkins 303-236-4588 (available 12/30)

      For immediate Release
      December 29, 2005

      Public Meetings for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s
Proposal to
        Remove Yellowstone Area Population of Grizzly Bears from
                    List of Threatened and Endangered Wildlife

      The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposes to establish a
distinct
population segment of grizzly bears in the greater Yellowstone
ecosystem
and surrounding area. In addition, the Service proposes to remove this
same Yellowstone population of grizzly bears from the list of
threatened
and endangered wildlife as it no longer needs the protection of the
Endangered Species Act. Robust population growth, coupled with State
and
Federal cooperation to manage mortality and habitat, widespread public
support for grizzly bear recovery, and the development of adequate
regulatory mechanisms has brought about recovery for the grizzly bears
in
this area, necessitating a change in its status.

      The proposed delisting of the Yellowstone area population of
grizzly
bears will not change the threatened status of the remaining grizzly
bears
in the lower 48 states, which remain protected under the Endangered
Species
Act.

      An open house on January 9 from 4 to 8 p.m. at the Holiday Inn, 5
Baxter Lane in Bozeman, Mont., will offer an opportunity for the public
to
obtain more information and ask questions on the Service’s proposals
to
establish a distinct population segment and delisting of the
Yellowstone
population of grizzly bears.

      In addition, a public hearing will be held on January 10, 2006,
in
Cody, Wyo., and an open house in Jackson, Wyo., on January 11, 2006
and
Idaho Falls, Idaho on January 12.

      Public comments are encouraged and will be accepted until close
of
business on February 15, 2006. Written comments may be sent to the
Grizzly
Bear Recovery Coordinator, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, University
Hall
309, University of Montana, Missoula, MT 59812. Comments may also
be
hand
delivered to the same office. Comments may be sent by electronic mail
(e-mail) to FW6_grizzly_yellowstone@fws.gov.

      The core of the proposed Yellowstone distinct population segment
is
the Yellowstone Recovery Zone, which is approximately 9,200 square
miles.
It includes Yellowstone National Park; a portion of Grand Teton
National
Park; John D. Rockefeller Memorial Parkway; sizable contiguous portions
of
the Shoshone, Bridger-Teton, Targhee, Gallatin, Beaverhead-Deerlodge
and
Custer National Forests; BLM lands; and surrounding State and private
lands.

      Grizzly bears are generally larger and more heavily built than
other
bears. They can also be distinguished from black bears, which also
occur
in the lower 48 states, by longer, curved claws, humped shoulders, and
a
face that appears to be concave. A wide range of coloration from light
brown to nearly black is common. The average weight of grizzly bears
is
generally 400 to 600 pounds for males and 250 to 350 pounds for
females.
Grizzly bears are long-lived mammals, generally living around 25 years.

      The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the principal Federal
agency
responsible for conserving, protecting and enhancing fish, wildlife and
plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American
people. The Service manages the 95-million-acre National Wildlife
Refuge
System, which encompasses 545 national wildlife refuges, thousands of
small
wetlands and other special management areas. It also operates 69
national
fish hatcheries, 64 fishery resources offices and 81 ecological
services
field stations. The agency enforces federal wildlife laws, administers
the
Endangered Species Act, manages migratory bird populations, restores
nationally significant fisheries, conserves and restores wildlife
habitat
such as wetlands, and helps foreign and Native American tribal
governments
with their conservation efforts. It also oversees the Federal
Assistance
program, which distributes hundreds of millions of dollars in excise
taxes
on fishing and hunting equipment to state fish and wildlife agencies.

                                         - FWS -

                                         For more information about the
U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service,
                                         visit our home page at
http://www.fws.gov

Can I strap you to a whitebark and pour hunny on you?