Grizzly Bear

How did the grizzly bear recovered?
1. Why recover grizzly bears in the North Cascades?
The Endangered Species Act requires recovery of threatened or endangered plants and animals. Grizzly bears were listed as a threatened species in 1975. A national grizzly bear recovery plan was prepared in 1982. It identified four ecosystems that had grizzly bears and sufficient habitat to support a viablebear population and two that needed to be evaluated. The North Cascades was one of those two. Between 1986 and 1991 biologists evaluated the habitat quantity and quality and the status of grizzly bears in the North Cascades. Their report and an independent evaluation of the information concluded that bears were present and that the quality and quantity of habitat in the North Cascades could supporta viable grizzly bear population. Based on that information, the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service made the decision to designate the North Cascades as a grizzly bear recovery area. Washington also contains another grizzly bear recovery area, the Selkirk Recovery Area, in the northeastern portion of the state.

2. What is a recovery plan? What is arecovered population? Delisting? Uplisting? Downlisting?
When a species is listed as endangered or threatened, a recovery plan is written by a team of biologists. The plan outlines actions that should be taken to increase the population to the point where it is no longer threatened and no longer needs federal protection. The implementation of the actions in a recovery plan is done through managementdocuments such as forest plans, following an extensive public planning processes. Each step provides for public comment through the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process.

“Uplisting” occurs when the status of the population is changed from threatened to endangered and “Downlisting” occurs when it is changed from endangered to threatened. This status review is conducted according toprocedures specified in the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The North Cascades grizzly bear population is currently warranted for endangered status (should be uplisted), but that action is currently precluded by higher listing priorities (such as species that are in need of protection, but have none under the ESA). When the population increases to the point that it is no longer considered threatened,it is considered “recovered”. At this point it is “delisted”, or removed from the threatened species list.

Recent articles in the press have reported that grizzly bears are to be “delisted” in the contiguous states. The only grizzly bear population currently under consideration for delisting, however, is the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem in Wyoming, Montana and Idaho.

3. Does the recoveryarea include sufficient habitat to recover the bear?
The North Cascades Grizzly Bear Ecosystem Evaluation included a study to determine if ample plant and animal diversity and abundance existed in the North Cascades to support grizzly bears. The study found that most plant species used by bears in other ecosystems occur in the North Cascades, as well as some unique plant species that may add to therichness of the bears’ menu. It concluded that the 10,000 square mile area in the U.S. was adequate to sustain a population of 200 to 400 grizzly bears.

4. What number of grizzlies makes a recovered population?
A recovered, or self-sustaining grizzly bear population must be genetically viable; able to withstand natural and human-caused mortality and catastrophic disasters; and be welldistributed throughout the ecosystem. The determination of what constitutes a recovered population in the North Cascades cannot be determined at this time because of the lack of information for the ecosystem. Additional research will be needed to determine the population objective for the North Cascades ecosystem. Although a viable grizzly bear population number cannot be exactly specified at this time,...