U.S. District Judge Donald Molloy last week wisely denied the Department of Justice’s efforts to reverse his Sept. 21 decision that restored endangered species protections to the Yellowstone grizzly bear population. The Yellowstone grizzly is still at risk: Global warming poses a massive new threat to the bear’s survival by facilitating an attack on an essential food source. Warming at high elevations has sparked a massive pine beetle outbreak that has resulted in the death of more than half of the ecosystem’s whitebark pine forests. These forests are also threatened by a non-native pathogen, white pine blister rust, which is infecting an increasing number of whitebark pine.

 

Whitebark pine dying

 

The seeds of whitebark pine are critical to the health of the Yellowstone grizzly bear population. Although Yellowstone grizzlies eat a wide array for foods, from ants to buffalo, it is this tiny, fatty seed of the whitebark pine, conveniently cached by the red squirrel, that drives female reproductive success. And, perhaps just as important, by keeping bears foraging in remote, high places, whitebark pine forests help prevent human-bear conflicts and excessive mortalities.

Whitebark pine has been collapsing in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem — and, indeed, throughout its entire range — over the last seven to 10 years. Its functional extinction in Greater Yellowstone is expected in five to seven years, according to some experts. By removing federal protections for the Yellowstone grizzly bears, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service  turned its back on the problem — and mountains of excellent science — claiming that bears will find alternative foods. FWS, however, did not show evidence that those alternative foods would be sufficient substitutes for the high-quality, fatty whitebark pine seed that is so important to grizzlies before they hibernate. As Molloy stated, “the studies (on whitebark pine and grizzlies) contradict (FWS’) position that decreases in whitebark pine do not pose a threat to the survival of the Yellowstone DPS” (distinct population segment).

Molloy also found that the regulatory systems were not adequate to protect the grizzly bear population after delisting. The excessive number of dead bears in recent years is testimony to the need for federal protections. In four of the last five years, mortality thresholds have been violated. And several weeks before grizzlies will finally go to sleep for the winter, we are just a single male bear away from once again violating allowable mortality thresholds.

At a recent interagency grizzly meeting, many good suggestions were made about how to reduce human-caused mortalities. For example, Teton County, Wyo., attorney Steve Weichman suggested that state legislation requiring all permittees on public lands (hunters, anglers, outfitters, etc.) to carry bear spray in grizzly country be enacted. This is smart policy, since bear spray has been proven to be far more effective than firearms in ending human-bear conflicts, and less deadly for all parties.

 

A different way

 

Others suggested that additional information be collected from big-game hunters regarding encounters with bears, which would lead to a more thorough understanding of bear/hunter interactions and help reduce bear-hunter conflicts. (Today, hunters are the No. 1 cause of grizzly bear mortalities.)

Taking action on such suggestions requires a complete overhaul of the public process around grizzly bear management to respond to the recent court ruling. We must find a different way forward to promote a respectful discussion and the common interest to save one of the most treasured icons of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.

 

Louisa Willcox of

 

Livingston is the senior wildlife advocate for the Natural Resources Defense Council. She has worked on grizzly recovery issues in the Northern Rockies for more than 20 years.