Earthjustice: Maggie Caldwell, 415-217-2084, mcaldwell@earthjustice.org
Sierra Club: Bonnie Rice, 406-640-2857, bonnie.rice@sierraclub.org
Center for Biological Diversity: Andrea Santarsiere, 303-854-7748, asantarsiere@biologicaldiversity.org
National Park Conservation Association: Kati Schmidt, 415-847-1768, kschmidt@npca.org
MISSOULA, Mont.— With the clock ticking down before the states of Wyoming and Idaho allow for trophy hunting of grizzly bears in the Yellowstone region, a Native American tribe and conservation groups filed a request for a temporary restraining order to stop the hunt while a federal judge decides whether the federal government should reinstate federal protections for the bears.
Judge Dana L. Christensen heard oral argument today on the challenge to the federal government’s 2017 decision to remove federal Endangered Species Act protections from a segment of the lower-48 grizzly population that occupies habitat in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. Earthjustice filed the temporary restraining order today on behalf of the Northern Cheyenne Tribe, Sierra Club, Center for Biological Diversity, and National Park Conservation Association.
In addition, Tribal Leaders released the following statements:
"A Temporary Restraining Order is essential to protecting our religious and spiritual freedoms, and treaty rights in Yellowstone. You can't resurrect a trophy hunted grizzly. That damage is irreparable. This sacred being is considered to be a deity by many tribes, not a rug. How can there not be irreparable harm to your religion if others are killing god?" said Chief Stan Grier, Chief of the Piikani Nation and President of the Blackfoot Confederacy Chiefs.
"In light of the federal hearing, all sacredness of the grizzly bear and all living beings has been reduced to Western litigation-- a total removal from humanness and tribal ways. Prayers that this evil hunt is stopped and the delisting efforts come to a close. Peace and blessings to humankind," said Sergio Maldonado, Sr. on behalf of the Northern Arapaho Elders Society.
Background
In August 2017, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service removed the Yellowstone-region grizzly bear population from the federal endangered and threatened species list, even though the area’s grizzly population has suffered high levels of human-caused deaths in recent years.
This fall, for the first time in more than 40 years, the states of Wyoming and Idaho announced grizzly hunts that would allow for up to 23 bears to be killed outside of Yellowstone National Park.
The Northern Cheyenne Tribe and conservation groups challenged the Fish and Wildlife Service’s disregard of bear deaths following the bears’ recent shift to a more heavily meat-based diet following the loss of other foods.
The tribe and groups also faulted the Service for carving out and delisting the isolated Yellowstone grizzly population instead of focusing on a broader, more durable grizzly recovery in the West. They further challenged the Service’s decision to disallow public input on changes to its management framework for grizzlies, which weakened protections.
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About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 3 million members and supporters. In addition to helping people from all backgrounds explore nature and our outdoor heritage, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.