The congressional delegations of Idaho, Montana and Wyoming are asking the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to kill a proposed rule that would protect grizzly bears in the Lower 48 States as a single population. Under old rules, it was possible grizzlies in those individual areas could have been declared recovered and federal protections dropped, as Montana and Wyoming requested for bears near Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks. Under the proposed rule, the entire population would be managed as one with attention to connectivity between the core recovery areas. Grizzly bears occupy just 4% of their historical range in the lower 48 states, yet through collaborative efforts across the Northern Rockies, these icons of the American West have begun reclaiming lost ground. By recognizing grizzlies as a single Distinct Population Segment (DPS), we honor their natural metapopulation dynamics—where bears disperse, interbreed, and thrive across landscapes. Ecological Benefits of the Single-DPS Approach: -Enhanced genetic diversity: When bears travel between recovery zones, they exchange genes that combat inbreeding, boosting resilience to disease and environmental stress. -Restored habitat corridors: Emphasizing connectivity motivates land managers, ranchers, tribes and conservationists to protect and reopen wildlife corridors—allowing cubs and subadults to explore new territories safely. -Robust population stability: A landscape-scale population is more resilient. Local setbacks—from wildfire, resource scarcity or human–bear conflicts—are balanced by healthy subpopulations elsewhere, ensuring long-term persistence. At Footloose Montana, we believe true recovery means grizzlies roam freely across the Rockies, linked by invisible pathways that heal ecosystems and weave our communities into nature’s tapestry. Let’s celebrate and safeguard this extraordinary metapopulation. Read more here: https://www.dnews.com/local-news/idaho-montana-and-wyoming-members-of-congress-push-feds-to-scrap-new-grizzly-rule-2d51fb97 #grizzlies #montanagrizzlies #grizzlybears #yellowstone #montanawildlife #wildlife #conservation (fb)

URGENT ACTION NEEDED – COMMENT BY MIDNIGHT TONIGHT The Trump administration’s proposed rule to rescind the definition of “harm” under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) would strip away critical habitat protections—and allow the destruction of the very places wildlife need to survive. Here’s why we must act: By removing “habitat modification” from what legally counts as harm, this change would mean: -Clear-cutting forests, filling wetlands, and paving over prairies could proceed without consequence -Vital breeding grounds, migration corridors, and feeding areas would be left unprotected -Species that depend on those habitats—from grizzly bears and sage-grouse to monarch butterflies—would face rapidly shrinking refuges “Wildlife cannot survive without habitat — that’s not opinion, that’s biology,” said Josh Osher, public policy director for Western Watersheds Project. “This proposed rule is an industry-crafted blueprint for extinction, designed to let corporations destroy the very ground endangered species stand on, while pretending no harm is being done.” This isn’t just about animals. Healthy habitats are the foundation of: -Clean water for our communities and farms -Air quality that safeguards our children’s health -Climate resilience against fires, floods, and droughts _Economic vitality for hunting, fishing, and tourism that sustain Montana families. No wildlife without habitat. No clean water without intact ecosystems. We cannot afford to hand developers a free pass to obliterate the lands that sustain us all. It takes just a minute to stand up for our wildlife and our own future: 🔗 Comment here: https://bit.ly/4dz9SeE DEADLINE: May 19, 2025 (midnight EDT) – that’s TODAY Read more from @westernwatersheds here: https://westernwatersheds.org/2025/05/over-150000-americans-oppose-trump-administrations-unprecedented-effort-to-eliminate-habitat-protections-for-vulnerable-wildlife/?fbclid=IwY2xjawKYihtleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBicmlkETFBOE1HanNUT0ZyV3lDd094AR5DUtIoV6KNR0RlNPetwQenZ4Qic0MgKTxWCAqPshY6sqAfYnYSlHkmWlItlw_aem_wcJtHM_5MgGs3DW4iQ6QzA #wildlife #endangeredspecies #wildlifemangement #conservation #montanawildlife #habitat #protectwildlife (fb)