Call on Wildlife Services to stop killing endangered grizzly bears

Re: Docket No. APHIS-2025-0004-0001

Grizzly bears once roamed the Western U.S. in the tens-of-thousands — today there are about 2,000 left in the continental U.S.

Biodiversity is critical to a healthy environment, and the loss of grizzlies from the Lower 48 would be detrimental to all. But if Wildlife Services continues responding to complaints of grizzly bear damage with bullets, traps and poison, there is little chance that this iconic species will survive.

In order to maintain a healthy population, grizzlies must travel between their isolated population segments to breed — sometimes they will cross through areas used for livestock grazing.

We should be prioritizing coexistence between bears and humans. Wildlife Services should emphasize non-lethal deterrent strategies instead of killing bears with poison and shooting them from helicopters.

For the sake of the continued survival of grizzly bears in the Lower 48, we are urging Wildlife Services Montana to prioritize Alternatives 4 and 5 when considering future grizzly bear damage management options.