US Fish and Wildlife Service comply with order to put grizzly bears back on Endangered Species List
Before the year 1800, approximately 50,000 grizzly bears roamed the United States and parts of Mexico. But by 1975 less than 1,000 grizzly bears remained and the animal was listed on the Endangered Species Act. As part of the grizzly recovery plan, six recovery regions were identified, one of which was the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. Grizzly bears in this region have made a strong recovery, growing from less than 150 to around 700, though recovery efforts in other regions have been less successful. Two years ago, the US Fish and Wildlife Service attempted to remove the grizzly bear in and around Yellowstone National Park from the endangered species list.
The move to delist the Yellowstone grizzly was an attempt to carve the Yellowstone grizzly out of the larger whole, and conservationists warned it did not take a look at the bigger picture of grizzly recovery. A federal judge agreed and blocked the delisting of the Yellowstone grizzly. On July 31, the US Fish and Wildlife Service announced that it had complied with the court order and relisted the Yellowstone grizzly bear as threatened under the Endangered Species Act.
Celebrate the Mountains-to-Sea trail birthday this September
North Carolina’s 1,175-mile Mountains-to-Sea trail turns 42 years old this September and the Friends of the Mountains-to-Sea trail are inviting hikers of all abilities to come out and celebrate.
Thirty-three group hikes are being offered in 27 trail towns across the state over the weekend of Friday, September 6 through Sunday, September 8. The hikes will range in distance from one to twelve miles and in difficultly from easy to strenuous. There’s also a 42-mile challenge for hikers looking for an endurance challenge. For more information about any of the hosted hikes visit the website: https://mountainstoseatrail.org/birthdayhike/.
