Grizzly Bears Will Return to Washington State In Government Restoration Effort
The species was hunted to near extinction during the 20th century, but now federal plans will see the bears finally return to their natural home in the North Cascades ecosystem.
Grizzly bears are set to return to Washington State as officials announce plans to reintroduce the species.
On April 25, the National Park Service and U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service revealed they have agreed to implement a restoration programme that will reintroduce grizzly bears to the North Cascades ecosystem, an area where they once roamed.
The species thrived in the region for thousands of years, and played a key part in the ecosystem by distributing native plant seeds and keeping other wildlife populations in balance.
However, the population was decimated in the 20th century, as thousands were killed by hunters who wanted the animal’s fur. This eventually led to the species becoming extinct in the area, with the last confirmed sighting of a grizzly bear in the US portion of the North Cascades ecosystem occurring back in 1996.
“Our culture had a war on these species and we know better now, and this is a chance for us to tell a different story,” said Gordon Congdon, a conservationist and supporter of the reintroduction, told NBC News. “We think by restoring the grizzly bear, that improves the ecology of the environment, which benefits other animals and benefits the diversity of habitat.”
The complex reintroduction process will aim to move three to seven grizzly bears from other ecosystems in the Rocky Mountains or interior British Columbia each year for a period of five to 10 years. Through this method agencies hope to establish an initial population of 25 bears in Washington.
The grizzly bear's new home in the North Cascades ecosystem is roughly 9,800 square miles in size - larger than the state of New Jersey - and contains some of the most intact wildlands in the contiguous US.
The agencies’ decision follows months of research and extensive community engagement as part of an Environmental Impact Statement process which began in 2022. Public feedback was significant, with more than 12,000 comments submitted to the proposal, and is said to have helped the agencies decide in favor to proceed with the reintroduction plans.
"We are going to once again see grizzly bears on the landscape, restoring an important thread in the fabric of the North Cascades", Don Striker, Superintendent of North Cascades National Park Service Complex, said in a statement.
While there is no set timeline for when the translocation process will begin, the National Park Service will post further updates on the plans as they develop.
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