In a significant policy shift, the Trump Administration proposed returning grizzly bear management in the Lower 48 to state control. Announced by Interior Secretary Doug Burgum alongside Montana Governor Greg Gianforte, Wyoming’s Mark Gordon, and Idaho’s Brad Little, this change was unveiled at a press conference near Yellowstone National Park. The grizzly bear’s conservation journey is celebrated as a triumph, but rising human-bear conflicts in neighborhoods and ranch lands are prompting states like Montana to seek full management authority.
Grizzlies were listed as “threatened” in 1975 under the Endangered Species Act, with fewer than 600 bears in the Lower 48 then. Today, grizzly populations are thriving in Yellowstone and Glacier national parks, each hosting around 1,000 bears. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has twice attempted to lift grizzly protections in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, with both efforts overturned. Recent efforts to remove federal protections persist, but the Biden administration’s 2025 rule continued safeguarding the bears.
The newly announced rule amends the 2025 directive, keeping grizzlies on the endangered species list while granting states management authority, as outlined in a revised section 4(d) of the Endangered Species Act. Christy Clark of Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks views this as a “dress rehearsal for delisting.” Though concerns over potential grizzly hunts loom, Montana’s moratorium prohibits such hunts post-delisting, according to Gianforte. The 4(d) rule’s text is pending, but state flexibility in grizzly stewardship is emphasized.
The move raises concerns about potential increases in grizzly mortality. Andrea Zaccardi from the Center for Biological Diversity criticized the administration’s stance, stating, “We’re disappointed the Trump administration is trying to make it easier to kill grizzly bears.” Earthjustice’s Jenny Harbine highlighted threats from weakened environmental reviews and expedited logging projects, arguing that grizzly bear protections should not be relaxed.
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