Grizzly Bears in Yellowstone Going Back on Threatened Species List
By Rocky Thompson on September 22nd, 2009
A federal court declared on Monday that pressures from climate change and hunters have forced the 600 grizzly bears in and around Yellowstone National Park to go back on the threatened species list. It’s illegal to hunt grizzlies, but about 20 of the animals died last year when hunters shot them in self-defense or simple mortal terror of the 8-foot-tall, 800-pound animals. Climate change? It’s a bit difficult to explain. Apparently climate change, forest fires (also brought on by climate change?), and a tree beetle (more climate change?) have caused a shortage of the whitebark pines, which grizzlies rely on for food. Now grizzlies are forced to forge father for food, which pushes them into more humans where they’re more likely to get shot as nuisance animals. The circle of life.
