The theme of podcasts this year has mostly been to take science that impacts all of us and try to make it digestible for us non-scientists. Grizzly Bears, the ESA, delisting, and the future of grizzly bears relies on a lot of science.
My guest in this podcast is Chris Servheen, PhD. Chris ran the grizzly bear recovery program for 35 years, prior to retiring a few years ago. I first met Chris when I volunteered to be one of five Montanans on the Grizzly Bear Roundtable, a committee that served for three years advising the USFWS and the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee come up with the recommendations for the conservation strategy upon delisting of the Yellowstone grizzly population.
In those three years it became very apparent to me where the true knowledge on grizzly bears existed. The best minds on the topic are in the IGBC. The litigators and their hired guns are bush league, compared to what knowledge exists within the IGB Study Team. Chris was the person leading that team and working with all state, provincial, and Federal agencies.
An ironic part of the Yellowstone Grizzly Bear history is that Chris' team twice petitioned for delisting of the Grizzly Bears of Yellowstone. Obviously, petitioning to delist grizzlies in Yellowstone is going to get you sued, which happened both times. The few areas where the judge agreed more science was needed, the IGB Study Team was able to disprove the concern. Chris has since retired and now the grizzly bear program is being led by Hilary Cooley, PhD.
This is a long podcast. The topic deserves a deep discussion and I hope we provided it here. Toward the end, we get on the topic of the future of grizzly bears and the likelihood of delisting. I find it concerning that the person who twice stuck his neck out to delist grizzlies, a process that requires confidence that the states have the framework to takeover management, is now doubtful the states can do that with the amount of political meddling by elected officials. If we think the recent actions of the Montana Legislature and Governor are helping our cause as it relates to managing threatened and endangered species, we might want to rethink that. To lose the confidence of a person who has invested so much in the cause of grizzlies is not a good reflection on the likelihood of Montana ever gaining management authority over grizzly bears.
Link below. Hope you enjoy it.
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My guest in this podcast is Chris Servheen, PhD. Chris ran the grizzly bear recovery program for 35 years, prior to retiring a few years ago. I first met Chris when I volunteered to be one of five Montanans on the Grizzly Bear Roundtable, a committee that served for three years advising the USFWS and the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee come up with the recommendations for the conservation strategy upon delisting of the Yellowstone grizzly population.
In those three years it became very apparent to me where the true knowledge on grizzly bears existed. The best minds on the topic are in the IGBC. The litigators and their hired guns are bush league, compared to what knowledge exists within the IGB Study Team. Chris was the person leading that team and working with all state, provincial, and Federal agencies.
An ironic part of the Yellowstone Grizzly Bear history is that Chris' team twice petitioned for delisting of the Grizzly Bears of Yellowstone. Obviously, petitioning to delist grizzlies in Yellowstone is going to get you sued, which happened both times. The few areas where the judge agreed more science was needed, the IGB Study Team was able to disprove the concern. Chris has since retired and now the grizzly bear program is being led by Hilary Cooley, PhD.
This is a long podcast. The topic deserves a deep discussion and I hope we provided it here. Toward the end, we get on the topic of the future of grizzly bears and the likelihood of delisting. I find it concerning that the person who twice stuck his neck out to delist grizzlies, a process that requires confidence that the states have the framework to takeover management, is now doubtful the states can do that with the amount of political meddling by elected officials. If we think the recent actions of the Montana Legislature and Governor are helping our cause as it relates to managing threatened and endangered species, we might want to rethink that. To lose the confidence of a person who has invested so much in the cause of grizzlies is not a good reflection on the likelihood of Montana ever gaining management authority over grizzly bears.
Link below. Hope you enjoy it.
Hunt Talk Radio - Grizzly Bears - Past, Present & Future on Stitcher
In this episode (191) of Leupold's Hunt Talk Radio, Randy shares the mic with Chris Servheen, PhD who dedicated his entire career to the cause of grizzly bear recovery in the Lower 48. Topics covered include the history of Gbears, population trends, human encroachments and habitat impacts...
