Are Grizzly Bears Endangered? The State of the American Grizzly
Understanding grizzly bear recovery, threats, and ongoing conservation efforts reveals why these icons of the wild still need protection.
Grizzly bears, the iconic apex predators of North America’s wilderness, have long been symbols of untamed landscapes and natural beauty. Yet their fate has been the subject of heated debate and evolving scientific and policy discussions. Are grizzly bears still endangered? This comprehensive look examines their legal status, population trends, threats, and the complex conservation efforts determining their future.
Grizzly Bears in North America: A Brief History
Historically, grizzly bears (Ursus arctos horribilis) once roamed across much of North America, stretching from Alaska and the Arctic Circle south to Mexico and far eastward across the Great Plains. Estimates suggest that more than 50,000 grizzly bears inhabited the lower 48 states in the early 19th century, thriving in diverse ecosystems from mountains to prairies.
Their numbers, however, plummeted due to widespread hunting, habitat loss, and government extermination campaigns. By the 1930s, fewer than 2% of their former range remained occupied – with populations isolated in remote mountainous regions. By 1975, biologists estimated only about 135 bears remained in the contiguous United States, largely surviving in and around Yellowstone and Glacier National Park.
Conservation Milestones: The Role of the Endangered Species Act
Facing imminent extinction, the grizzly bear was listed as “threatened” under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) in 1975. This pivotal action mandated the development of recovery plans, strict regulations against hunting and harassment, and significant restoration of critical habitats. Collaboration between federal agencies, states, conservation groups, Tribal governments, and local communities led to increased monitoring, research, and public education on grizzly coexistence.
Key elements of the ESA’s impact include:
- Legal Protection: Making it illegal to harm, harass, or kill grizzly bears except in rare, regulated circumstances;
- Habitat Management: Safeguarding and restoring crucial habitats such as Yellowstone and Glacier regions;
- Conflict Prevention: Promoting ‘bear-smart’ practices to reduce livestock predation and garbage-related encounters;
- Recovery Targets: Establishing ecosystem-specific population goals and monitoring frameworks.
Thanks to these protections, population numbers began a slow but steady recovery in core areas.
Current Grizzly Bear Populations and Their Recovery
The total grizzly bear population in the lower 48 states is now estimated at approximately 2,000 individuals. However, most live in just two areas: the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE) and the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem (NCDE). Other historic populations in the North Cascades and Cabinet-Yaak remain critically small or extinct.
Key Recovery Milestones:
- Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE): Increased from ~130 bears in 1975 to about 950–1,000 bears today.
- Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem (NCDE): Stabilized at several hundred bears, the largest population in the lower 48.
- Other Regions: The Cabinet-Yaak and Selkirk populations remain highly vulnerable, with fewer than 50-100 individuals each.
- North Cascades (WA): Functionally extirpated, with only intermittent sightings.
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These numbers, while promising compared to historical lows, still represent just a fraction of the species’ former abundance and ecological influence.
Legal Status: Are Grizzly Bears Still Considered Endangered?
The answer depends on geography and how ‘endangered’ is legally defined. Grizzly bears remain federally protected under the Endangered Species Act across the lower 48 states. However, distinct population segments face different designations due to varied recovery progress:
| Region / Ecosystem | Legal Status (2025 Proposal) | Approximate Population |
|---|---|---|
| Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE) | Threatened | 950–1,000 |
| Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem (NCDE) | Threatened | ~1,000 |
| North Cascades, all remaining populations | Endangered | Few to none |
In 2025, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS) proposed a rule to clarify population-specific designations and update recovery goals. The two largest populations (GYE and NCDE) are proposed as threatened, while others remain endangered. Importantly, the proposal does not remove ESA protections for any population.
Delisting Controversy: Should Grizzlies Lose Federal Protection?
The debate over whether grizzly bears should be ‘delisted’ (removed from ESA protection) is intense, revolving around scientific, ethical, and political considerations. While some argue that rebounded populations in key regions demonstrate recovery, others contend that ongoing threats and the need for interconnected habitats warrant caution.
- Arguments for Delisting: Advocates, including some state officials and landowners, claim that the GYE and NCDE populations have exceeded recovery targets for years and should be managed locally. Delisting, they argue, would allow states to address conflicts more efficiently and potentially permit regulated hunting.
- Arguments Against Delisting: Conservationists and scientists warn that recovery is incomplete. Grizzly populations remain isolated, genetic diversity is limited, and habitat encroachment continues. Premature delisting could leave small populations vulnerable, reverse decades of progress, and pave the way for renewed trophy hunting, as seen after 2017’s brief delisting in Wyoming and Idaho.
Legal challenges have repeatedly prevented permanent delisting, with federal courts ruling that weak state management plans and lack of interpopulation connectivity threaten long-term recovery.
Pressing Threats to Grizzly Bears
Despite progress, grizzly bears face formidable threats that jeopardize their survival:
- Habitat Fragmentation: Roads, development, and resource extraction divide bear habitat, isolating populations and increasing deadly interactions with humans.
- Human-Bear Conflict: As grizzlies expand from protected cores, they increasingly encounter communities, livestock, and agriculture. Bears removed for conflict represent a major source of mortality.
- Climate Change: Shifting food sources—such as dying whitebark pine forests—force bears to travel farther and take more risks.
- Genetic Isolation: Without corridors linking core populations, genetic bottlenecks threaten resilience and long-term viability.
- Legal and Political Vulnerability: Repeated attempts to reduce federal protection risk undermining hard-won gains if not paired with rigorous science-based recovery frameworks.
Current grizzly bear recovery is therefore fragile, requiring continued vigilance and investment.
Why Ongoing Protection Matters
Federal and Tribal protection ensures that the fragile gains of the last 50 years are not lost. Ongoing protection under the ESA:
- Secures Habitat: Prevents destruction, fragmentation, and incompatible development of critical landscapes.
- Supports Conflict Prevention: Funds education and innovative programs to secure human and bear safety.
- Promotes Scientific Monitoring: Guarantees robust population and genetics research to track both risks and progress over time.
- Enables Collaboration: Fosters coordination between federal, state, Tribal, and local partners, crucial for success.
- Prevents a Return to Decline: Avoids repeating history, when legal protection was lacking and populations crashed toward extinction.
Recovery is not just about reaching minimum population thresholds; it is about restoring ecological roles and ensuring resilience for an uncertain future.
Grizzly Bears and the Human Connection
Coexistence between grizzly bears and humans is possible, but demands commitment and adaptation on both sides. Communities in the Greater Yellowstone and Northern Continental Divide regions have developed innovative solutions:
- Bear-aware education in schools and community centers
- Bear-resistant dumpsters and food storage systems in campgrounds
- Compensation for ranchers who lose livestock to verified bear predation
- Electric fencing and aversive conditioning to protect both people and bears
Building social tolerance, coupled with practical safety measures, creates a model for long-term recovery and sustainable wild bear populations.
The Global Context: Grizzly Bears Are Brown Bears
It is important to note that ‘grizzly bear’ refers to the North American subspecies of the widely distributed brown bear (Ursus arctos), which ranges across Eurasia and North America. In global terms, brown bears are not considered endangered due to their healthy populations in Russia, Alaska, and Canada. However, the Lower 48 grizzly is uniquely imperiled, missing from over 98% of its historical US range.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: What is the current population of grizzly bears in the US?
A: As of the mid-2020s, there are about 2,000 grizzly bears in the lower 48 states, with the vast majority in the Greater Yellowstone and Northern Continental Divide ecosystems.
Q: Are grizzly bears still protected under federal law?
A: Yes. Grizzly bears remain listed as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act, and all populations in the contiguous US are federally protected.
Q: Haven’t grizzly populations recovered enough to be delisted?
A: While certain populations have grown, most experts and federal agencies emphasize recovery is not fully secure: populations remain isolated and numerous threats persist. Legal efforts to delist grizzlies have repeatedly been overturned based on scientific and procedural grounds.
Q: What are the main threats to grizzly bears today?
A: Habitat loss and fragmentation, human conflict, limited food sources due to climate change, genetic isolation, and continued legal pressures threaten grizzly bear recovery.
Q: What can people do to help grizzly bears?
A: Support effective conservation, advocate for habitat connectivity, use bear-safe practices in grizzly country, and engage in local coexistence and education initiatives.
Conclusion: The Future of the Grizzly Bear
Once teetering on the edge of extinction, the grizzly bear’s recovery marks a triumph of endangered species policy, science-guided management, and grassroots engagement. Yet their journey is far from over. Continued vigilance, robust habitat protections, and community collaboration are essential if these magnificent animals are to thrive across their historic range for generations to come.
The fate of the grizzly bear serves as a barometer for the health of North America’s wild lands, and as a reminder: what is saved for the bear is ultimately preserved for all.
References
- https://blueribboncoalition.org/grizzly-bear-population-recovery-levels-justify-delisting-from-endangered-species-list/
- https://greateryellowstone.org/blog/2025/grizzly-bear-decision-protects-bears-while-providing-a-path-for-durable-recovery-and-more-tools-for-communities
- https://www.nationalparkstraveler.org/2025/07/can-grizzly-bears-survive-without-endangered-species-act
- https://www.humaneworld.org/en/blog/grizzly-bears-retain-endangered-species-act-protections
- https://earthjustice.org/press/2025/house-committee-votes-on-bill-to-sidestep-fish-and-wildlife-service-and-delist-grizzly-bears
- https://www.fws.gov/grizzlyrulemaking
- https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/01/15/2025-00325/endangered-and-threatened-wildlife-and-plants-12-month-finding-for-the-greater-yellowstone-ecosystem
- https://wildlifemanagement.institute/node/1659
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