IWF Comments: Bitterroot Grizzly Bear EIS Project
The Bitterroot ecosystem (BE) in North Central Idaho is land known for its beautiful flowing rivers, pristine high mountain lakes, rugged mountains, amazing backcountry wilderness experiences and a wide range of wildlife from moose and marten, elk and wolves, not to mention grizzly bears
With the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service once again exploring the reintroduction of grizzlies into the Bitterroot ecosystem because of a court order, there could be more on the landscape sooner rather than later.
Status Assessment: Grizzly Bear in the Lower-48
Since 1975, the grizzly bear (Ursus arctos horribilis) has been listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) in the lower-48 States. At one time an estimated 50,000 bears were distributed in one large contiguous area throughout all or portions of 18 western states. Populations declined in the late 1800s, and by the time of ESA listing in 1975, grizzly bears were reduced to less than 2 percent of their former range in the lower-48 States.
Since listing, grizzly bear populations have expanded and now occupy 6% of their historical range and can be identified through four ecosystems: the Northern Continental Divide (NCDE), Greater Yellowstone (GYE), Cabinet-Yaak (CYE), and Selkirk (SE) ecosystems. Two other ecosystems, the North Cascades and Bitterroot ecosystems, have no known populations.
In November 2000, the USFWS issued a final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), Record of Decision, and a rule under section 10(j) of the ESA that outlined plans for reintroducing grizzly bears to the Bitterroot Ecosystem. In 2023, a District Court decision ruled that the USFWS failed to implement its grizzly bear recovery plan adopted in 2000 and directed the agencies to revisit this plan to re-establish grizzly bears in the Bitterroot ecosystem. The court’s order requires the USFWS to publish a final EIS and ROD by October 2026.
We’re currently in the early stages of the process. IWF recently submitted our initial scoping comments for the project. Between now and the 2026 deadline, there will be other opportunities for the public to weigh in on the outcome of the project including public meetings and hearings, a 60-day public comment period on the draft EIS, and a 30-day comment period on the final EIS. IWF will continue to stay involved in the process and comment at each step along the way.
The following were IWF’s scoping comments on the Bitterroot Grizzly Bear EIS Project.
1) Grizzly bears are already naturally recolonizing
There have been a number of confirmed grizzly bear sightings and signs in the Bitterroot ecosystem and nearby areas in recent history. One young grizzly bear was mistakenly identified as a black bear and was shot in 2007 in the Kelly Creek area, another confirmed sighting just south of Grangeville in 2020, and multiple other confirmed bears have been sighted approaching the Bitterroot from the east. If given time with coordinated management practices, eventually grizzly bears will begin naturally recolonizing this area on their own.
2) Continued natural recolonization allows bears to utilize existing ecosystem functions
Natural recolonization allows grizzlies to choose where and when to be based on their own needs. The Selway-Bitterroot and Frank Church ecosystems have experienced some significant ecological and climate related changes since grizzlies last occupied those regions. For instance, the habits of grizzly bears now may be different in these ecosystems with the proliferation of invasive plant species, departure from historic forest types, different fire regimes, and absence of salmon protein. Natural expansion, coupled with robust monitoring, will provide invaluable scientific insight to the "how and why" of recolonization, especially regarding interaction with human conflict.
3) Natural recolonization will provide the best path for socio-cultural acceptance.
For the long-term good of the species, IWF believes federal and state wildlife managers must do what they can to avoid the political pitfalls that have been weaponized to influence wildlife management in relation to reintroduced gray wolves. The fallout and animosity from the perceived abrupt relocation of gray wolves has become a major distraction/obstacle from implementing sound management. The perception of "federal" decisions (ie- not supported locally) will be weaponized for decades to demonize the grizzlies. On top of that, at the grassroots level, social acceptance may never be obtained if grizzlies are physically relocated. It is our firm belief that natural recolonizations will expand grizzly territory at the same rate of social acceptance, resulting in a cultural and political climate much more conducive to the long term viability of the species.
4) Questions remain regarding legal compliance of physical reintroduction.
A 10(j) experimental population may not hold up in court where this decision is sure to be challenged. IWF believes that translocated grizzly bears may not be eligible for 10(j) status because other grizzly bears are recorded moving in and out of the Bitterroot ecosystem on their own already.
Final recommendation:
IWF does not support the physical relocation of grizzly bears to the Bitterroot ecosystem. Instead, IWF supports natural recolonization of grizzly bears to the Bitterroot ecosystem and USFS/USFWS policies that manage for connectivity of the species from the Canada border south to Yellowstone National Park. This connectivity between populations will help support genetic flow and healthy bear populations throughout the region for years to come. This region is also an important landscape for human use, therefore IWF supports connectivity management prescriptions that allow for current uses, including those limited to Wilderness areas.
For hunters and other sportsmen in Idaho to not be involved in this important decision would be a disservice to future generations. Please sign up to receive the Idaho Wildlife Federation’s free newsletter for the latest information on Grizzly reintroduction.