by Jeff Donlan

Are grizzlies making a comeback? The Yellowstone grizzly bear will be taken off the endangered species list, the Interior Department announced on Thursday. The population in Yellowstone Park has risen from 136 in 1975 to more than 700, which Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke praised as “one of America’s great conservation successes.”Some conservationists say the decision came too soon and that removing federal protection could put the bears and their habitat at risk. The grizzlies are now hunting targets if they wander beyond park boundaries. However, if populations fall below 600, hunting will be banned again.

The Western Environmental Law Center, a nonprofit public interest law firm, plans to sue to stop the change. In the meantime, the federal protection of the grizzlies could be lifted in the coming months.

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