Dr. Christopher Servheen
Grizzly Bear Recovery Coordinator
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
University Hall 309, University of Montana
Missoula, MT 59812

RE: Don't de-list Yellowstone grizzlies!

Dear Dr. Servheen,

I very strongly oppose removing Yellowstone's grizzly bears from the endangered species list.

Taking these bears off the endangered species list now would threaten to reverse a great conservation success story and jeopardize the long-term survival of these icons of America's natural heritage.

Grizzly bears would be extinct in the lower 48 states were it not for the protections of the Endangered Species Act. Grizzlies already have been eliminated from 99 percent of their former habitat. Weakening current protections would further fragment and destroy their last remaining home.

Delisting also would increase the number of Yellowstone's bears killed by humans. Under your agency's proposal, the federal government would turn over management of grizzlies outside the park to the surrounding states. Wyoming, Montana and Idaho all have plans to allow grizzly hunting when the bears are delisted. And as your own estimates show, for every known grizzly killed, at least another bear was killed illegally.

I would love to see grizzly bears removed from the endangered species list when they are ready, but that will not be the case until permanent protections are put in place to preserve their habitat and ensure their long-term survival.

Please reverse your course. Do not remove Yellowstone's grizzlies from the endangered species list.

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